- All of the officers and the Chief of Police of the Kimberling City Police Department in Missouri have resigned.
- Kimberling City Mayor Bob Fritz said the exodus was “disappointing,” according to KY3.
- Emergency calls will be directed to the county office, who cannot enforce Kimberling City ordinances.
The entire police department of Kimberling City, Missouri, have resigned from their positions citing pay and resources, according to local media.
Bob Fritz, the mayor of Kimberling City, a city of about 2600 people in the state’s south, called the exodus “unexpected and the short notice disappointing,” KY3 reported.
The department consisted of five officers, including the chief of police, whose resignations will take effect in the “next few weeks,” KY3 reported.
“We’re looking for officers, we’re looking for a new police chief, and I think we’ll be fine,” Fritz said. The mayor did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
The officers who resigned cited a variety of concerns, including salary, lack of staffing for the department office, and under-qualified personnel, KY3 reported. The department chief, Craig Alexander, found a position with the neighboring Branson West Police Department.
As the department is restaffed, emergency calls will be handled by the Stone County Sheriff’s Office.
“Until then, we will be answering all the calls in Kimberling City, we can’t enforce city ordinances, but any other calls we will be handling at this time,” Sheriff Doug Rader told KY3. “It will be a struggle to fill the police department back up with qualified officers, but hopefully they can start working on that soon and get that accomplished.”
Rader could not be reached by Insider for comment.