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A police substation at the intersection of Pond Street and Collins Road was named after former Toccoa policeman Curtie Scott..
Humble, loyal, honorable; those were just some of the words used to describe former Toccoa assistant police chief Curtis Scott.
City officials, business representatives, residents, and Scott's family members assembled on Thursday, Sept. 23, to dedicate a new police substation on Pond Street in Scott's honor during a ribbon-tying event sponsored by the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce.
Toccoa mayor Even Hellenga said the spot used to be the Hemphill Grocery building with the city acquiring the location in 2018.
"When the city commission saw the need for a police substation, they realized this location would be ideal," Hellenga said.
Hellenga noted the assistance of partnering with the housing authority and work from the city's public works department in making the substation a reality.
"We are proud to dedicate this building as the Curtis Scott Police Substation, after the late assistant chief Mr. Curtis Scott," Hellenga said.
Relating Scott's history, Hellenga said Scott came to Toccoa in the late 1950s, and started working part-time with the police department in 1967, moving on to a full-time officer in 1970.
"A former police chief stated that Curtis was a 'beacon of light' in his community," Hellenga said
City clerk Fredda Wheeler said that Scott would come to her office to work on payroll and that one of Wheeler's coworkers said that Scott was the first friend she had in the city offices – showing up unexpectedly to ask if she was doing okay.
"That meant so much to her," Wheeler said. "Curtis was a man that was solid to the core."
Police chief Jimmy Mize related one of his earliest memories of Scott.
"He (Scott) would cut grass for people all over the community," Mize said.
Mize thanked Lifesprings printing, Cornelia Public Safety, Home Depot, and the Eaton company for donations made for the new substation.
Former police chief and current director of public safety for DeKalb County Jack Lumpkin also attended the ribbon-tying ceremony.
Lumpkin said Scott was committed to the police department and the community.
"He (Scott) always represented Toccoa in the finest way," Lumpkin said.
Former police chief Jackie Whitmire said that he learned a lot from Scott's manner of dealing with the public.
"This substation…is going to be a great benefit to our community," Whitmire said.
City commissioner Gail Fry said the substation could serve Toccoa in other ways also such as it has a meeting room where the community could organize events.
Mize said law enforcement could also use the substation as a hub for criminal roundups and an extension of the police force's training center.