Minn. city dissolves its police dept

The Elko New Market Police Department is being dissolved after the city agreed to use Scott County Patrol, but 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has learned that the county never agreed to it.

The Scott County Sheriff says contracting with his office was barely discussed and a decision this drastic needed more evaluation. As the police cars sit parked in Elko New Market, people are growing more worried.

"If somebody dials 911, how long is it going to take for somebody to get here?" said Denise DeVito, a Scott County resident.

The city council cut the police department Thursday night in favor of contracting with the Scott County Sheriff's Office for deputies.

Councilman Bob Hanna said it would save money in the long run, however, the sheriff says the city hadn't worked out a contract.

"One would have thought it would have made a little more sense to have an agreement in writing before the disbandment, said Sheriff Kevin Studnicka.

Sheriff Studnicka says it's up to county commissioners to approve the contract and it won't save the city money at all. It would cost $15,000 more this year.

"Right now we don't have two deputies to free up so those deputies will have to be additional hires," Sheriff Studnicka said.

He says the city hasn't met the criteria to get a contract with the sheriff's office. Council was to provide clear reasons for needing deputies, the public was to support the change and it couldn't be a close vote. This vote was 3 to 2.

"The fact that three council members went ahead and voted without any plan in place to get rid of the police department, it's just irresponsible," said Ken Sulich, an Elko New Market resident.

The sheriff says it could be months before a contract is signed. In the meantime, the sheriff's office will respond, but won't assign specific deputies to Elko New Market.

"How many people are going to know that? What's going to happen to crime around here? How many people are going to say, 'Now I can drive 80 miles per hour down this road, no cops are going to get me'," DeVito said.

The mayor of Elko New Market says he wants to put the issue back on the council's agenda and try to get the police force back.