MABLETON — Mableton is moving to create its own police department after Cobb County’s proposed agreement would limit police service to just one year, with no option to extend.
What’s happening: Mayor Michael Owens announced Thursday the city is starting the early work to build a Public Safety Division that would include its own law enforcement. City officials wanted a deal with Cobb County that ran through 2034, but the agreement Cobb County adopted blocks any extension beyond one year.
What broke down: The police services agreement between Mableton and Cobb County expired at midnight May 31. The two sides had agreed through mediation on May 22 to a price of $13 million for one year of service, but a last-minute provision in the contract — one that would have sent court revenue from Mableton cases to Cobb County — stalled the final signing. Mableton’s municipal court handles local matters such as traffic tickets and city ordinance violations.
What’s confirmed: Cobb County police officers have been sworn in as deputies through the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and are still answering calls in Mableton. Anyone with an emergency should call 911.
What the city says: After consulting with lawyers, public safety experts, and financial advisors, city officials concluded that building their own department could save millions of dollars each year and give Mableton more direct control over local law enforcement.
“Our primary duty is the safety and security of every family, business, and neighborhood in Mableton,” Owens said. “While we sought a long-term partnership with the County, recent developments have made it clear that Mableton must prepare to take greater responsibility for its own future.”
Owens also said: “I want to be absolutely clear: if you experience an emergency and dial 911, you will still receive a response.”
Catch up quick: Mableton became a city in 2023, one of the newest in Georgia, and the incorporation immediately triggered a fight with Cobb County over who would provide services and who would pay for them.
In mid-2025, the two sides struck a temporary one-year deal under which Mableton paid Cobb County $9.5 million for police and transportation services. Mableton called it double taxation, arguing city residents already pay county property taxes. Cobb County said the payment kept residents in other parts of the county from footing the bill for services they do not use.
Town hall: Mableton will hold a public meeting Monday, June 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Riverside EpiCenter, 135 Riverside Parkway. City officials plan to answer questions and lay out the plan for the new department. Updates will also be posted at mableton.gov.
