By Sarah Roebuck
Police1
BIG BEND, Wis. — A village board in Wisconsin has voted to eliminate its police department that has been in service for 82 years, WISN reports.
A contract that is expected to be signed Thursday would make the Big Bend Police Department the eighth area in Waukesha County to have police services covered by the sheriff’s office.
The plan would cut three full-time and nine part-time officers. It would also provide two full-time deputies to be based in Big Bend, but their services would be shared with the Village of Vernon, which already has a contract with the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office.
According to several board members, the $500,000 deal to eliminate the police department would save the village around $200,000 a year, WISN reports.
Trustee Josh Grover, who was one of two board members opposed to the elimination deal, told WISN that there was no public notice regarding the issue being up for discussion or a vote.
The contract for the sheriff’s office to take over policing will be discussed during a board meeting behind closed doors on Thursday.