Small Minnesota town will be without police after chief and officers resign, citing low pay

The police department in a small Minnesota town will soon be non-existent due to a mass resignation caused by inadequate pay for the chief and officers. The situation in Goodhue is critical, as Police Chief Josh Smith, along with another full-time officer and five part-time employees, has decided to resign. The resignations will take effect on Aug. 23, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Smith’s announcement on Aug. 9 prompted the others to follow suit, citing low wages and a lack of competitive incentives such as sign-on bonuses as major factors in their decisions. Smith had previously expressed his frustration to the city council, noting that Goodhue’s pay rate of $22 an hour was insufficient compared to the minimum $30 an hour offered by smaller departments elsewhere.

Mayor Ellen Anderson Buck expressed shock and sadness over the mass departures during an emergency council meeting on Monday. The town, located in southeastern Minnesota and home to around 1,300 residents, will look to the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office for supplementary law enforcement as it struggles to rebuild its police department.

The city’s efforts to retain officers by offering a 5% increase and a $13,000 raise for Smith earlier this year seem to have fallen short. Smith did not respond to inquiries for comment, but his words to the council in July revealed a bleak picture, stating that the current wages would never attract new recruits.

Goodhue’s predicament mirrors the challenges faced by other small communities in Minnesota, such as Morris, which dissolved its police department last year after dwindling to just the chief and one officer. The ongoing shortage of officers and escalating budget costs have put significant strain on law enforcement in the region, highlighting a broader issue that may need immediate attention and action.

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