Entire Police Department Resigns in Minnesota City
A small city in Minnesota is scrambling to recruit new law enforcement personnel after the entire police department collectively resigned in response to issues of low pay.
Officers of the Goodhue Police Department resigned in solidarity, citing grievances over inadequate compensation and more appealing prospects in neighboring areas. During a city council meeting, Goodhue’s mayor, Ellen Anderson Buck, addressed the situation and clarified that while the city is surprised by the mass resignations, it will plan accordingly.
“I think we’re all a little bit blindsided by it, but we’re resilient, and we’re going to move forward,” Mayor Buck affirmed. “I want to reiterate that we will have police coverage in the city of Goodhue. That is not an issue.”
Police Chief Josh Smith, who submitted his resignation, shed light on the challenges the city has been facing in regard to attracting new officers. He disclosed that the recruitment process has been remarkably difficult, with no viable candidates showing interest in becoming police officers for the city.
This has been three weeks now, we have zero applicants, and I have zero prospects,” Smith explained at a city council meeting last month. “I’ve called every PD around for the youngest guys out there, getting into the game. There’s nobody getting into the game.”
Smith further elaborated on the underlying factors contributing to the dearth of applicants.
“There’s zero incentive to come out here to a small town, low pay, being on call, affecting your free time and everything else,” Smith explained.
While the concept of an entire police department resigning at once is overwhelming, it should not come as a surprise. Now more than ever, it is an incredibly hostile environment for an individual to become a police officer. The state of Minnesota may be one of the worst spots in the country to become an officer, as just two years ago the city of Minneapolis tried to “defund the police” in response to the death of George Floyd.
