The entire police force of one town quit recently, leaving the town with zero protection.
The Goodhue, Minnesota, police force resigned during a meeting, leaving the mayor in a serious situation.
Entire police department resigns in Minnesota town, leaves mayor ‘blindsided’: 'Zero applicants' https://t.co/Km3GHs2cHh
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 16, 2023
"I think we're all a little bit blindsided by it, but we're resilient, and we're going to move forward," Goodhue Mayor Ellen Anderson Buck told Fox 9.
"I want to reiterate that we will have police coverage in the city of Goodhue," Buck said. "That is not an issue."
Minnesota town's ENTIRE police force quits - and has zero applicants https://t.co/HrJFVm5rlb via @MailOnline
— Patriotic 🇺🇸Suzanne⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@suzost) August 15, 2023
"Goodhue Mayor Ellen Anderson-Buck said she was 'blindsided' by the move on Monday and the tiny community of just 1,300 say they were 'floored' by the decision," the Daily Mail reported.
"The Police Chief, Josh Smith, said there is no end in sight as he hasn't had a single applicant to fill the vacancies. After his resignation, the town's only full-time officer and five part-time officers resigned as well," it added.
At least part of the concern cited was pay. Officers in the community make a reported $22 per hour.
The current force is set to leave by Aug. 24. So far, no new applicants have reportedly stepped up to take the open positions.
The city is not known for major crimes but will be at risk following the loss of its entire police force, requiring a quick response to avoid longtime issues. The community known for its safe streets may now become known as the town without a police force, at least temporarily as the mayor and community officials adjust and reorganize.
The local department has not responded to media requests, leaving some mystery as well regarding the reasons for the abrupt departure.
