Agreement Allowing CCPD To Serve In This Cobb Town Expires: Officials

MABLETON, GA — Government officials on Monday say an agreement allowing Cobb County Police to provide law enforcement services to Mableton has expired, leaving them to pivot.

An intergovernmental agreement between the City of Mableton and Cobb County, which allowed CCPD to perform law enforcement services within Mableton city limits for an additional year, expired at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, county officials said.

After reaching the agreement with Cobb during a May 22 service delivery strategy mediation, county officials said Mableton city officials presented a new demand requiring certain state misdemeanor citations be sent to Mableton City Court rather than Cobb County State Court. County officials said the latter is where these citations are currently being handled.

The issue with routing misdemeanor citations to a municipal court is that such an act would "require complex operational and technological integration measures that are not feasible for a 12-month service extension," the county said.

Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa N. Cupid has notified the City of Mableton of the expiration, officials said.

“Cobb County negotiated in good faith and reached an agreement in principle during the May 22 mediation,” Cupid said in a news release.

“The city’s last-minute demand was raised only as we were finalizing language, not during the lengthy mediation itself. It is operationally unworkable and is preventing us from executing an agreement that protects Mableton residents. We remain ready and willing to finalize the IGA based on the material terms agreed upon on May 22.”

Due to the lack of an intergovernmental agreement, county officials said they can no longer legally offer municipal police services in Mableton city limits under the Georgia Constitution.

However, as a temporary fix, the county said Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens will deputize CCPD officers so they can continue responding to emergency calls.

"The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office is aware of ongoing discussions between Cobb County and the City of Mableton regarding the future of police services," Owens said in a news release. "I want Mableton residents to know this office takes seriously its responsibility to the safety and security of every community in Cobb County.We were not a party to these negotiations. Any support we provide will be driven by our constitutional commitment to the people of Mableton — not by the outcome of any political or administrative process. Resources are being deployed as operational capacity allows. The sheriff’s office will provide updates as development warrants."

Cupid said the county will do everything lawfully possible to keep Mableton residents protected.

“We urge Mableton’s leadership to return to the table and finalize the agreement that was substantively reached on May 22," Cupid said in the release. "The path forward is clear. The city simply needs to accept the terms already agreed upon.”

Patch is working to obtain comment from city officials in Mableton.