October 05, 2023 Press Release: Willows City Council Agrees with Glenn County Sheriff: The City needs to move forward with rebuilding its own law enforcement services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 5, 2023

CONTACT:

Richard Thomas, Mayor

Email: rthomas@cityofwillows.org

Phone: (530) 514-0754


Willows City Council Agrees with Glenn County Sheriff: The City needs to move forward with rebuilding its own law enforcement services

WILLOWS, CALIFORNIA – The Willows City Council agrees with the Glenn County Sheriff that the City needs to start planning and incrementally moving forward to reinstate its own law enforcement services. While it will take time and support from the Sheriff’s Office, the Council is committed to rebuilding and providing high quality law enforcement services to the citizens of Willows.

“We agree with the Sheriff that the City needs to bring its law enforcement and public safety services back inhouse; however, we need time and money to get there,” stated Mayor Thomas.

To that end and effective with the next round of accounts payable, the City will pay the County through the month of October 2023 based on the Council approved fiscal year 2023-24 budget for law enforcement services. The remaining budget will be paid in early 2024 after the City receives its property taxes. Concurrently, the City hopes that the Sheriff’s Office will work with the City to develop a transition plan to reestablish the City’s own law enforcement services.

“The City has been an honest and transparent partner with the Sheriff’s Office, especially regarding the City’s struggling financial circumstances, and we hope this payment will demonstrate our commitment to law enforcement and to protecting our families and children,” commented Vice-Mayor Vodden.

In the short term and during this transition, the City would also appreciate the Sheriff’s cooperation and support in affirming an affordable law enforcement contract as the City gradually reduces its reliability on the Sheriff’s Office.

When asked to comment on the current situation with the City’s law enforcement negotiations, Councilmember Hansen (and retired law enforcement) stated: “We appreciate that public safety protection services are costly and those costs are increasing every day; however, with the city’s current financial circumstances and for the time being, we simply cannot afford to pay more than is already budgeted for. Rest assured, however, the council is fully committed to providing the professional and effective law enforcement services that our citizens need and deserve.”

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