Oakwood police had to arrest one of their own last week.

A 20-year-old rookie officer with the Oakwood Police Department was arrested Dec. 16 after police responded to a complaint of a loud party at The Columns apartments on Education Way, Police Chief Randall Moon said.

Caleb Curtis Elliott was charged with underage consumption of alcohol, Moon said. As a result of the arrest, Elliott was fired from the department.

Moon said when police arrived around 2 a.m., they found Elliott drinking beer along with several other people. One other underage person also was charged, Moon said.

Elliott refused to submit to a breath test, Moon said. He was taken to the Hall County jail, where he later posted bond on the misdemeanor.

"We had no choice," Moon said. "It’s normal procedure that we would arrest someone in that situation."

Elliott was with the department for about four months and was still undergoing field training prior to his arrest, Moon said. He said officers younger than 21 are occasionally hired. Certified peace officers in Georgia can be as young as 18.

Moon said Elliott was a good officer.

"I hate to see this happen to a young man’s career," he said. "It just shows that we have to police our own as well as the public, and we’re not afraid to do it."