A crowd of 50 residents packed Winnebago’s Municipal Center for a special City Council meeting held on Tuesday, May 9, at 6:30 p.m.
The meeting was scheduled prior to the regular City Council meeting to provide residents with a forum to voice their opinions about the future of the Winnebago Police Department.
Serious discussions about the police department began at a special worksession on Tuesday, April 18, which addressed mounting concerns over police department staffing shortages.
Currently, the Winnebago Police Department – designed to operate with three full-time officers – is down to just one full-time officer: Chief Eric Olson.
Chief Olson is currently holding down the department on his own with assistance from a roughly six-person roster of part-time officers, plus additional coverage from the Faribault County Sheriff’s Office when needed.
The council has agreed the arrangement is just a short-term solution, although the Sheriff’s Office has confirmed it will provide Winnebago with coverage for as long as necessary.
“We will help you until you get a police department together, if that is the route you decide to go,” Chief Deputy Scott Adams assured the council. “Even if you sign a contract with Blue Earth, we’re always here to help.”
The council has considered contracting with the Blue Earth Police Department for coverage as one solution to the problem. However, the council is also considering...
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