COBB COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

PRESS RELEASE

LOCAL AGENCIES CONDUCT TRUANCY SWEEP

            On Wednesday, April 29, 2009 between the hours of 8:30 am and

1:00 pm law enforcement officers from the Austell, Acworth, Kennesaw, Powder Springs Police Departments, the Cobb County Police Department’s Cage Unit as well as the Sheriff’s Office, and the Cobb County Campus Police conducted a county wide truancy investigation in cooperation with Cobb Juvenile Court and School Social Workers with Marietta City Schools and Cobb County Schools. 

The action was a joint effort of all law enforcement in Cobb County to impose the Georgia School Compulsory Attendance Law that requires students between the ages of 6 and 16 to attend a public school, private school or a home study program. 

            According to Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren, a goal of today’s operation was to send a message to all students that skipping school can be a status offense and when caught by an officer or a deputy, there are consequences for their truant behavior.  “Experience has shown that truancy can be positively impacted by a coordinated effort of parents, students, school officials, Juvenile Court and law enforcement,” stated Sheriff Warren.  “At the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, we take our role in this partnership very seriously”.              

            As a result of today’s activities, law enforcement came into contact and interviewed 32 individuals of whom 14 were returned to their schools and three were taken into custody for drug charges and violation of probation.  The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office was the coordinating law enforcement agency for today’s joint effort.

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RELEASE DATE:  April 29, 2009 For further information contact Nancy Bodiford at 770-499-4723