Staff Reports
Goodhue, Minnesota is in a bit of a pickle, folks. The town’s police force has decided to do a disappearing act and resign, leaving the city without any local law enforcement. That’s right, no boys in blue to keep the peace. It’s like a cop movie gone wrong, but unfortunately, it’s happening in real life, and it ain’t pretty.
Now, here’s the scoop. The police chief, Josh Smith, and all the other officers, both full-time and part-time, decided to throw in the towel and call it quits. Why, you ask? Well, it seems like there was a little disagreement over their paychecks. Is money the root of all evil? Maybe not, but it sure caused a mass exodus in Goodhue.
Chief Smith tried to warn ’em, folks. He said he couldn’t find any new recruits, and he even had a job offer somewhere else. But did they listen? Nope. Now they’re left with zero applicants and zero prospects. It’s like going fishing and coming back with an empty net. Talk about a real bummer.
But hey, the mayor, Ellen Anderson Buck, wants everyone to calm down. She says the town will still be covered by law enforcement after the current force packs up their badges and leaves. She’s all about moving forward and being resilient. I mean, that’s great and all, but how can you be resilient without a single police officer in town? It’s like saying, “Don’t worry, there’s no fire, but we don’t have any firefighters either!”
Here’s the thing, folks. Chief Smith was spot on when he said they needed to change things dramatically and quickly. These small-town cops aren’t asking for the moon and the stars. They just want to be paid a fair wage, and who can blame them? Imagine risking your life every day, dealing with unruly citizens, and only getting paid peanuts. It’s like being the star of a superhero movie but earning less than the guy who sells popcorn at the theater.
According to one report, Chief Smith said that other departments pay at least $30 an hour, while Goodhue was only offering $22 an hour. That’s a pretty big gap, folks. It’s like comparing a luxury yacht to a dinghy. No wonder they couldn’t find any new recruits. Who wants to risk their lives for a measly paycheck? Certainly not the brave men and women of Goodhue.
So, while some may be shocked by the news, I think it’s high time they start listening to their police force. Pay them what they deserve, offer some incentives, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll see some fresh faces walking through those station doors. Let’s not let our small towns crumble, folks. We need our cops to keep us safe and sound. It’s time for Goodhue to step up and do the right thing.
