Police department in Minnesota to resign due to concerns over pay

GOODHUE, Minn. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - The Minnesota town of Goodhue will be without a police force in just a few days after the entire force suddenly resigned.

A special meeting Tuesday in Goodhue, a small town about an hour southeast of Minneapolis, that the council confirmed lost its entire police department and is left spinning its wheels, catching the people of Goodhue off guard.

"I am floored. I just thought one...I didn't realize all of them," said Lydia Strusz, a resident of Goodhue.

"We are not the first and we won't be the last," said Ellen Anderson Buck, Mayor of Goodhue.

Concerns over pay

The mayor saying she was saddened to receive the resignations of all seven of its officers including the chief in response to concerns over pay.

"We knew we were on the low side...and so we were trying very, very hard to bring those numbers up," Mayor Buck shared.

The mayor says it gave its officers a 5% pay increase and the chief a $13,000 raise at the beginning of the year as the council now works to restructure its budget to compete with bigger cities.

"We are all devastated by this...We're trying to muddle through this and do the best we can and provide service for our community," Buck detailed.

Rebuilding

With about 1,200 people, the council said it's considering contracting with the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office for now as its own police officers will work through August 24.

"I think we could do ok with three and feel protected...Our town is pretty quiet," said Roxanne Fischer, another Goodhue resident.

The council agreed it wants to rebuild its force and its future.

"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," Buck explained.