A small city in Northern California, Willows, is about to lose its police services as county officials announced they will cease to provide law enforcement at the end of this month.
The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it would terminate its contract with Willows on June 30. The sheriff’s deputies have been the primary law enforcement for the city for nearly ten years, as reported.
County officials cited financial difficulties, stating the current annual cost for police services is approximately $2.3 million, but the actual cost has escalated to about $3.4 million.
In a statement, sheriffs described the situation as “unsustainable,” mentioning the increasing budget deficit facing the county. They stated that the county can no longer support city services.
Willows, which has a population of around 6,300 and is located 135 miles north of Sacramento, had discontinued its own police department in 2017 and began relying on the sheriff’s office for local law enforcement and animal control.
Sheriff Justin Gibbs informed city leaders in March that he would not extend the current contract once it expires. Willows represents about 56% of the sheriff’s office’s law enforcement activities, making it one of the agency’s major responsibilities, according to county officials.
Officials noted that state law mandates the sheriff’s office to charge for the actual costs of providing these services. Previously, the Glenn County Board of Supervisors had granted a temporary exception to allow city leaders more time to find funding for public safety.
Recently, tensions between the city and county have intensified. In April, Willows officials sought mediation, expressing concerns about the quality of services under the existing agreement and desiring a neutral party to help resolve the issues.
The city emphasized that its officials are committed to public safety and ensuring that residents should not experience breaks in law enforcement services.
However, sheriffs accused the city of neglecting to cover the real costs associated with policing.
Officials stated, “The City of Willows refuses to pay the Sheriff’s Office the actual cost of providing law enforcement services, and over the last three years, there hasn’t been any serious attempt to revive the local police department.” They added that the county would not continue to subsidize the city’s law enforcement needs.
As of July 1, emergency calls from Willows residents to the Sheriff’s Command Center will be redirected to the California Highway Patrol or the Willows Fire Department until the city establishes a new policing solution. City leaders are contemplating the idea of rebuilding their police department, but they admit this process could take at least a year.
