The small city of Goodhue, Minnesota, will likely be left with out a police power after your entire division resigned in protest when the chief left his submit over poor pay.
Goodhue Mayor Ellen Anderson-Buck stated on Monday she was “blindsided” by the transfer and the small neighborhood of simply 1,300 says they had been “floored” by the choice.
The police chief, Josh Smith, stated there isn’t a finish in sight as he has not had a single applicant to fill the vacancies.
He beforehand complained concerning the poor pay supplied to officers, which was $22 an hour in Goodhue, whereas warning town’s council that “no one is in the game.”
“If you want to keep PD, and this is something we want to continue with, something drastic and drastic has to change, and it has to happen now,” he stated.
The complete Goodhue Police Department – consisting of a chief, a full-time officer and 5 part-time officers – has resigned
Goodhue Mayor Ellen Anderson-Buck stated she was “blindsided” by the transfer
The huge layoffs got here after a gathering of Goodhue City Council on Monday night time and a dialogue about pay will increase for the police. The resignation was accepted on the assembly and your entire power was as a consequence of depart on 24 August.
Smith had indicated his intention to resign weeks earlier when he informed officers he was unable to search out new recruits and was dropping prospects for main cities.
He informed town council that he had been personally supplied a job in a metropolis and that his personal efforts to search out extra officers for Goodhue fell on deaf ears.
“I called every police force to ask if the youngest boys would be involved. No one is involved,” he stated.
When Smith resigned, it was a choice that led town’s solely full-time officer, Anthony Brecht, and 5 part-time officers to observe swimsuit.
But for locals apprehensive they’ll dwell in lawlessness, Anderson-Buck assured town it could have police protection.
“That’s no problem… they will respond to calls,” she stated, noting conversations she had with the Goodhue Sheriff’s Office.
The mayor added that whereas she was “a little blindsided” by the lack of her police station, town was “resilient and we are moving forward.”
City residents praised the police for offering “excellent safety and security” within the small neighborhood of about 1,300
City officers deliberate the lack of their potential officers to close by cities
With the small city dropping all seven officers, the Goodhue police chief admitted he can’t discover anybody to fill the vacancies as a result of ‘no one comes into play’
Smith stated he’ll proceed to serve in his place as chief till Aug. 24, when all of his officers resolve to go away the power with him.
Residents criticized the police loss, with one telling NBC News she was “floored” by the information.
Another stated the police will likely be missed in the neighborhood, which has a low crime fee, saying: ‘I can most likely converse for everybody once I say they’ve offered our neighborhood with wonderful security and safety. And the small city policing they did, we wish that again.”
Goodhue police didn’t instantly reply when reached for remark.