Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid told residents on Tuesday, July 21, that she has no authority to terminate the police officer who fatally shot a family's dog during a welfare check in Powder Springs seven months ago.

The statement, published on cobbcounty.gov, came after a video of the December 2, 2024, incident began circulating on social media, drawing renewed attention to the shooting on Macland Road near Corner Road.

"The termination of a police officer follows a strict civil service process that falls outside my office's authority," Cupid wrote. "That process exists specifically to ensure disciplinary decisions are made independently and not by elected officials. This safeguard protects the process from political pressure in either direction."

What happened on December 2, 2024

Two uniformed Cobb County Police Department patrol officers responded to a 911 call at approximately 8:40 p.m. reporting a voice shouting "help me" near Macland Road and Corner Road. The call came from a 911-only cell phone, a type that cannot receive incoming calls, so officers could not reach the caller for more information.

The officers traced the call to a private residence on Macland Road and began speaking with the homeowners at the front door. During that conversation, the family's dogs began exiting the home. One dog ran toward the officers despite the owners' attempts to restrain it, according to a Cobb County Police Department press release dated December 2, 2024. The officer perceived the dog as a threat, according to the press release, and fired his service weapon, killing the animal.

The department assigned the incident Case No. 24082257.

Internal review found use of force within policy

The Cobb County Police Department's internal review determined the officer's actions were within department policy, according to Cupid's statement. The department released body camera footage of the incident on YouTube. No further disciplinary action has been announced.

Cupid's message to residents

Cupid acknowledged the public's frustration while defending the separation between elected officials and police discipline. She noted she is a pet owner herself and takes residents' concerns seriously, but said officers "are often required to make split-second decisions in unpredictable and potentially dangerous circumstances."

The chairwoman's statement did not reference any upcoming Board of Commissioners meeting, public hearing, or comment deadline related to the incident. Cupid's full statement, which includes a link to the body camera footage, is posted on cobbcounty.gov.