MABLETON — The agreement that kept Cobb County police patrolling Mableton streets expired at midnight Sunday, and the city still does not have a new one signed.
What’s happening: Mableton Mayor Michael Owens said the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office will now cover law enforcement in the city while talks continue. Cobb County police officers will be sworn in as deputies so they can keep answering calls.
What broke down: Mayor Owens said Mableton agreed to pay $13 million for one year of police service — the same figure reached through mediation — but would not sign final contract language he says would weaken the city’s municipal court. A municipal court handles local cases such as traffic tickets and city ordinance violations. Owens said protecting that court is a legal responsibility, not a new demand. Cobb County has called it a new demand. Owens strongly disagrees.
What the city council did: Last week, the Mableton City Council gave Mayor Owens authority to keep negotiating and sign a deal that matched what was already agreed to in mediation. Owens said that did not give him permission to sign language that damages the municipal court.
What residents need to know: Mayor Owens said anyone with an emergency should call 911. He said help will come.
Catch up quick: Mableton became a city in 2023, one of the newest in Georgia, and the incorporation immediately set off a fight with Cobb County over who would pay for services. In mid-2025, the two sides reached a temporary one-year deal — the one that just expired — under which Mableton paid Cobb County $9.5 million for police and transportation services. Mableton called that double taxation, arguing city residents already pay county property taxes. Cobb County said the payment was necessary so that people in other parts of the county would not end up paying for services they do not use.
The Quote: “I want to be clear: Mableton is not putting our residents in jeopardy.” -Mableton Mayor Michael Owens.
