(UnitedVoice.com) – Goodhue, Minnesota, will be without a police force on August 23. The chief of police and all of the deputies resigned in early August amid a dispute over pay. A Republican lawmaker is now warning other cities about the possibility of losing their own forces.
In a conversation with Fox News Digital, State Rep. Pam Altendorf (R-MN) said the problems in Goodhue should be a “warning for many areas across Minnesota and actually across the United States.” She pointed out that there are police shortages around the state and the nation, blaming it on the “defund the police movement” that took the country by storm in 2020.
Altendorf defended law enforcement, saying most of them join the profession because they “care about the public.” While she believes there are cops with nefarious purposes, she said that’s just a small amount. Meanwhile, good police officers are faced with a difficult job, where they “have to make decisions in split seconds,” and then the public criticizes them for those decisions.
“We do not fully support our police officers,” the congresswoman stated.
Josh Smith, the Goodhue police chief, warned the city council during a meeting before his resignation that the pay scale was unacceptable. He said the town was trying to hire officers at $22 per hour when other departments are offering $30. He chose to leave his position after he said he was constantly on call and his family wasn’t getting enough of his attention. The entire police force followed him out the door.
The town will now have to contract with its local county sheriff to fulfill the public safety needs. However, it’s supposed to cost significantly more to do so, which is leaving the town in an unsustainable position.
Across the country, departments are facing similar problems. In recent years, low pay and decreased morale have led to a mass exodus of officers from the profession.
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