Preserve Truman Police Department

To the editor:

For well over a year, negotiations have been ongoing between the Truman City Council/Mayor Jake Ebert and Interim Police Chief Mike Schutz to come to an agreement regarding a contract for Officer Schutz for the position of Truman Police Chief. The talks seemed to have slowed so the City Council investigated the option of discontinuing the City of Truman Police Department altogether and signing a contract with the Martin County Sheriff’s Department to provide 40 hours of protection to the community per week. This option would save the city a chunk of money because we wouldn’t have a Police Department to fund. In an effort to balance the city budget and move on, the City Council and the mayor seem ready to sign the contract with the Martin County Sheriff’s Department.

I believe this is a huge mistake. Here we have an exemplary police officer, serving Truman for nineteen years, who wants to be here to provide good service to the community and has our best interest at heart. Officer Schutz is seen out in the community, at sporting events, interacting with residents to be friendly and approachable. He visits the schools to let kids know he is helpful and trustworthy, the opposite of what is shown currently by the media in regard to law enforcement. Mike knows us. He knows our habits. If he sees something out of place, he knows something is amiss and will investigate. Mike will cruise by our homes a few extra times when he knows we’re out of town. He patrols the alleyways to ensure all sides of our homes are secure, not just the front. Mike notices vehicles that don’t belong. I don’t think a Martin County Deputy is going to be at any school functions or out in the community unless they’ve been called there for a specific reason. There is no Martin County Deputy that will know if there is a strange car parked on my block for too long or if there’s something out of place on my property or if I’m on vacation and my home is vulnerable.

I understand that if the City Council and the mayor would agree to the contract Officer Schutz is seeking to be Truman Police Chief it would cause our taxes to increase 4 percent. While nobody wants to pay more in taxes, I consider it an investment in the future of law enforcement for Truman. If we allow them to eliminate the Truman Police Department there’s no turning back. It’s gone for good. Many of our residents are concerned with how we can make Truman grow, make Truman productive. It isn’t going to help us at all if the police presence in the city is gone. Without a police presence, the not-so-law-abiding citizens will take advantage of the opportunity. Crime in our city will increase. I don’t want that, do you?

I have the greatest respect for Mayor Jake Ebert. He and the City Council take their responsibility to be fiscally accountable to the citizens of Truman seriously. They are making incredibly difficult decisions that will not please all people. If you feel strongly on this subject, I encourage you to please let Jake or any of the council members listed below know your opinion before it is too late. Don’t wait, they are working on the budget at this moment.

Their budget deadline is September 30.

Truman City Council members:

Chris Mosloski

Ron Kelley

Brian Nickerson

Patty Truax

Lori Bartels

Truman