In a small room in Cook Minnesota a police radio broadcasts to only empty chairs. The two police officers that used to patrol the small northern town have lost their jobs due to city budget cuts. Now its up to the County Sheriff to pick up the beat, but with no additional resources to do that, and the nearest office 45 miles away, town residents are getting nervous. At least one resident says gun sales are up, and people are on guard. Cook Minnesota is just one example of towns across America that face very difficult decisions.

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2...t-from-budget/

http://www.foxnews.com/search-result...6/cop-cuts.htm

My own town is on the verge of losing its Police department if a levy is not passed. As of the last census we had 10,000+ people, and I'm guessing the current population is closer to 20,000. Fortunately crime rates are pretty low and if all else fails I do have a large dog, a .38 with hollow point bullets, and a tactical flashlight, so I'm not too worried.

All two of 'em, huh? Sounds like a good reason for citizen armament... LOL

Funny huh?

See here's what you don't understand.

When small cities and towns loose their Police Departments/Marshals Office whatever, then the County Sheriff or County Police have to pick up that responsibilty.

The Sheriff doesn't get extra deputies to do that. The Sheriff doesn't get extra money in his budget to do that. What the Sheriff gets is the responsibilty that used to be that of the City Police (with the exculsion of enforcement of city ordinances in my jurisdiction unless the SO is contracted by the municipality). The calls that used to be answered by the City now are routed to the County and increase the call volume and time spent by units responding to these calls.

When call volume goes up the amount of pro-active patrol goes down. Traffic enforcement goes down, availability of officers to respond to a call in a timely matter goes down and that response time is longer.

When call volume goes up arrest rates go up. When arrest rates go up then jail populations go up costing the the tax payer. People who used to be issued little municipal citations get arrested because the Sheriff doesn't enforce ordinances.

When arrest rates and jail populations go up, then the court traffic goes up straining the state courts. There is no longer a muni court because muni ordinances aren't enforced by the sheriff, State Statutes are. When Court traffic goes up it requires more Deputies to transport, guard and escort prisoners and act as baliff's and court security. If these Deputies are pulled from the road or the jail then those divisions have to pay other deputies over time to maintain a safe man power level in their respective areas.

It effects the SO in that the time used to serve warrants and civil summons is curtailed by call volume. Which in turn pisses off victims, attorney's, judges and court clerks who complain to the sheriff who authorizes more OT which pisses off the the County Commission.

The city who decided to save revenue by cutting their department as effectively cost everyone in the County more money, and then they realize that they've lost more revenue by losing the money garnered by enforcement of municipal ordinances and cry to the sheriff and the then the circuit court to make the SO enforce their ordinances.

Oh it's a little town there can't be that many calls. That doesn't matter they still have to be responded to...even the cat crappin in the nieghbors yard.

And if something bad does happen the closest deputies may be 30 minutes away. Might be nice to have some protection.

So the loss of two officers is far reaching especially in rural counties. You might wanna step outta suburbia once in a while junior before you start with LOL BS.

What was I thinking making a comment on a thread? It's like this is a public forum or something...



Actually, I was being serious about the protection. If the place only had two officers to begin with, I'd have had some sort of firearm long before they cut those two loose.

Thanks 03.
It's always nice to have someone in the business to let us know what's really going on

Why would the municipality get rid of a LE agency? What planet are they from? Is it still canceled?

Gunny, I'm probably talking out of my bum on this one, but is there such a thing as volunteer police in the US? I understand that there are unpaid ambulance and fire crews, would/is there a place for unpaid part time police officers, provided they received proper training?


In the UK there are the police specials who are unpaid and in South Africa there are police reservists. The SA reservists are paid something, but not a lot. Both the Specials and the Reservists are expected to work a certain number of hours a month.

There are Reserve Officers, some paid, some unpaid. They work other jobs full time and volunteer or work part time for LE.

Thanks Gunny.

Then perhaps the town in question should consider doing the same?