Cobb Police Policies May Be Examined by Outside Agency

MARIETTA, GA -- Cobb County’s director of public safety says an audit of the department’s policies from an outside agency may cost $95,000.

The department is under fire after a Cobb police officer allegedly made racially charged statements to an African American driver who he had pulled over for a traffic violation.

Sam Heaton, Cobb’s head of public safety, says the county has an excellent police department but one that has “trust issues” with some members of the local community.

A request for proposals will be issued at the Feb. 9 Cobb commission meeting, beginning a process that could take four to six months to complete, according to the AJC.

In the meantime, a GoFundMe page has been created for the officer who made the traffic stop, Maurice Lawson, who was suspended without pay for two weeks and forced to undergo remedial training.

The fundraising page, according to WSB-TV, was designed to raise $5,000, but instead raised $6,500 in less than two weeks.