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Police Officer I Minimum Qualifications

To be considered for employment as a police officer with the Cobb County Police Department you must:

  • Be 21 years of age - unless military or police explorer, we will accept you at 19 ½ years of age
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED
  • Be a U.S. citizen

Any of the following criminal convictions will be considered an automatic disqualification:

  • Any felony offense
  • Any misdemeanor of an aggravated nature or related to public order or decency
  • Any offense related to Domestic Violence
  • More than two misdemeanor offenses
  • More than one DUI/DWI and the conviction must not have been within the last five years
  • Racing or Reckless Driving within the past five years
  • Homicide by Vehicle, Habitual Violator, Attempting to Elude an Officer, or Hit and Run

Additional Disqualifiers

  • A less than honorable discharge from any military organization
  • Termination of employment for just cause from a local, state, or national civil service or merit system

Tattoo/Branding Policy

  1. Unprofessional or offensive tattoos or brands are prohibited. The following list includes, but is not limited to, the types of items prohibited by this policy:
    1.  Depictions of nudity or violence;
    2.  Sexually explicit or vulgar art, words, phrases or profane language;
    3.  Symbols likely to incite a strong negative reaction in any group (i.e. swastikas, pentagrams, etc.);
    4.  Initials or acronyms that represent criminal or historically oppressive organizations (i.e., KKK, SS, street gang names, numbers, and/or symbols).
  2. The Department does not allow tattoos or branding on the head, face, neck, scalp, hands, or fingers. However, a tattoo that resembles a wedding ring is permitted on the traditional finger a wedding ring is worn, so long as the ring tattoo does not violate any other section of this policy.
  3. The final authority as to the prohibition of a tattoo/brand shall be with the Chief of Police, or his designee.