Sheriff’s Office to Patrol Streets in Minnesota City After Police Force Resigns.

The small city of Goodhue in​ Minnesota has managed to narrowly avoid potential chaos after the local Sheriff’s Office agreed to take up ⁢policing duties following the resignation ⁢of the entire police force earlier this month.

The Goodhue City Council ⁢unanimously agreed⁤ on Aug.​ 24 to contract the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office on a temporary basis, bringing in deputies to ⁣police the city until the ​end of 2023.

Under the agreement, the city will pay $43,548 to the Sheriff’s Office to⁢ cover the city. Officers will patrol the streets of the city, which has ⁣a⁢ population‍ of just over 1,200, for at least six hours a ⁣day, according to the Star⁣ Tribune newspaper of Minneapolis.

The Sheriff’s Office already has contracts with four other communities in Goodhue Count: Wanamingo, Pine Island, Dennison, and Bellechester.

Thursday’s agreement​ came just hours before the city was ‌set to be left without a single law enforcement officer after the entire police department resigned earlier this month amid a dispute over low pay.

Low ⁢Pay, Recruitment Issues

The​ resignations came after Mr. Smith told ​a council meeting in July that the city wasn’t offering enough money or incentives⁢ such as sign-on bonuses to retain officers when other places ‌were ‌willing to offer higher pay. This, he said, had led to recruitment issues.

“Trying to hire at $22 an hour,⁣ you’re never going‌ to ⁤see another person again walk through those doors,” Mr. ‍Smith told the council. ⁣He said smaller departments pay at least $30 an hour.

However, his concerns appeared to fall on deaf ears, and ‍the entire police force subsequently resigned.

Still, Goodhue Mayor Ellen Anderson‍ Buck told NBC affiliate KARE of Minneapolis last week that ⁢she was⁤ blindsided by the resignations, adding that the council had been working towards increasing ⁣salaries for law enforcement officers.

“We are all devastated by⁣ this,” said Ms. Buck. “We’re trying to muddle through this ​and do the best we can and provide service for our community.”

The ‍mayor noted there are currently more ⁣than 200 openings for police officers across the state, ​and claimed ​the city had ⁤given law enforcement officials a‌ 5 percent pay increase and Mr. Smith a $13,000 raise at the‌ beginning of the year.

“This is a great⁣ place⁤ to live and to work and ‌I ⁤think⁢ we’ll get them back here. It’s just going to take some time and rebuilding,” she said.

‘This Isn’t Just a Local​ Issue’

Mr. Smith has not publically ⁣commented on the resignations and did not respond‌ to The Epoch⁣ Times’ ‌request for comment.

Speaking following⁣ the agreement Thursday, Goodhue Sheriff Marty​ Kelly said that while‍ his ​office is‌ able to step in ⁣and fill⁢ the vacancies for now, he is‌ hopeful the agreement will not remain a⁤ long-term thing.

“This isn’t ⁤just a local issue in ‍Goodhue,” ⁢he told Minnesota’s KSTP-TV, an affiliate of⁣ ABC, adding that recruitment ‍issues are a problem across the whole country. “I think we will rebound, but ⁤it’s going to take a few years,” ‌he added.

Police shortages have been‌ seen across the United​ States in recent years⁤ amid lower pay and increased calls ⁢to defund the police.

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