MOOSE LAKE, Minn. — The City of Moose Lake will no longer have a police department after city council members voted to enter into a service agreement with Carlton County.
The small force, in the city located about an hour southwest of Duluth, was already down to just its interim chief amidst budget concerns and all its officers resigning over the last year.
“Nationwide, hiring is at an all-time low for police,” said Moose Lake Interim Police Chief Chad Pattison. “Just not a lot of interest in doing it and there’s not a lot of candidates, but there are a ton of open jobs.”
At Wednesday’s meeting, Pattison even pleaded with councilors to keep his job. He told KARE 11 he has other options currently available after spending 22 years in law enforcement.
“I want to be here,” said Pattison. “Give me the chance to do it, I’m your guy.”
Besides being short-staffed, data shows the Moose Lake officers make some of the lowest salaries in the state. The average is about $94,000, while those in that city are making around $64,000.
And with a state prison and several churches within city limits, property tax proceeds are small.
“Thirty percent of the people pay 100% of the taxes and that’s where the problem is,” said Pattison.
Public safety makes up nearly 87% of the city’s budget and would still only fund a chief and two officers. The council did fund the department for the short term. But rising health insurance costs would push the preliminary budget even higher. That still leaves some shifts unstaffed and doesn’t include covering for officers taking paid leave or sick time.
The contract with Carlton County costs about $664,000 which includes four new deputies and full coverage.
“Everybody at this table respects our police force, but unfortunately, I see it as no longer affordable,” said Councilor Walter Lower III.
“We do not have the tax base to keep doing what we’re doing,” said Councilor Douglas Juntunen. “It’s a very difficult thing and all of us has done our due diligence, but the numbers aren’t there that support it.”
Meanwhile, Councilor Kris Huso and Mayor Ted Shaw voted in favor of investing in the city’s own police department.
“It’s all been very much in support of our own department,” said Huso.
“I don’t see where we need to rush in and make a decision this year,” said Shaw.
Data from the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training shows this is the 36th police department to disband across the state since 2016. That includes the Goodhue Police Department in Goodhue County in southern Minnesota from just last August.
In the case of Moose Lake, it leaves Pattison in a bit of limbo.
“The chief could leave tomorrow if he chose to,” said Mayor Shaw. “We’re going to have less coverage than we’ve ever had.”
“I’m not going anywhere immediately,” Pattison told Shaw at the meeting. “I’ll be here as long as I can.”
The Carlton County sheriff says the transition starts immediately, but that it could take at least six months to train and hire those new deputies as the two now enter contract negotiations.
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