The entire police force of Goodhue, Minnesota, have submitted their resignations, leaving the town dealing with an unexpected gap in law enforcement. In a community with a population of approximately 1,300 — the sudden absence of a local police presence has raised concerns about the future of public safety.
ALERT 🚨 Entire police force in Minnesota city resigns over pay pic.twitter.com/Z8NsS0QJ4t
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) August 15, 2023
The resignation wave was led by Police Chief Josh Smith, who is expected to remain in his position until August 24. Despite his dedication, Smith found himself unable to secure new recruits to replenish the dwindling ranks due to low pay.
Chief Smith expressed his frustration, saying, “This has been three weeks now, we have zero applicants, and I have zero prospects. I’ve called every PD around for the youngest guys out there, getting into the game. There’s nobody getting into the game.”
The pressing issue at hand has highlighted the challenges faced by small communities like Goodhue in maintaining a functional police force. “If you want to keep the PD and this is something we want to continue going with, something needs to change dramatically and drastically, and it’s got to happen now,” he emphasized.
Mayor Ellen Anderson Buck, while acknowledging the unexpected nature of the mass resignation, conveyed the town’s determination to persevere. “We’re resilient, and we’re going to move forward,” she assured. Despite the setback, Mayor Buck emphasized the city’s commitment to upholding law and order by maintaining a police force.
City Councilman Chris Schmit echoed this sentiment, praising the force’s past contributions to community safety. “They provided excellent safety and security to our community. And the small town policing that they did, we want that back,” Schmit remarked.
Goodhue, located to the southeast of Minneapolis, has found itself facing this challenge against the backdrop of the nationwide discourse on law enforcement. Following the 2020 death of George Floyd, Minneapolis became the epicenter of calls to “defund the police.”
As Goodhue seeks to chart a path forward, the responsibility for maintaining law enforcement temporarily falls to the Sheriff’s department. The unexpected departure of the entire police force in Goodhue, Minnesota, has left the town at a crossroads and prompts a reevaluation of how much we need to compensate our law enforcement officers.
