Supervisors discuss end of law enforcement agreement with Northwood

At recent meetings the Worth County supervisors continued discussion of and ultimately decided to end an agreement with the City of Northwood for law enforcement.
At a workshop on March 4, the supervisors revisited discussion of the agreement with the Worth County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement in the city of Northwood.
For several weeks, in the midst of budget discussions, representatives of the City of Northwood and Worth County have been discussing the agreement to provide law enforcement in Northwood. The discussions have taken place between county and city small groups, as well as the full councils and supervisors at regular and workshop discussions.
The agreement has been in place since 2013. At that time the City of Northwood’s police department ended, and the City contracted with the Worth County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement.
Since then, Worth County deputies have responded to calls and enforced City laws and ordinances.
The latest four year extension of the agreement is set to end on June 30.
As the City and County have worked on their budgets for the coming year, they also began meeting to decide the price for an extension of the agreement.
Prior to the March 4 meeting, the discussion had centered on a one year extension, at a price of $459,000, a price originally suggested by the supervisors to continue the agreement.
At the March 4 workshop, supervisor Enos Loberg noted that in the most recent years of the current agreement between Worth County and the City of Northwood, the County’s costs for city law enforcement have been operating at a loss.
The agreement in place was signed four years ago and increases in deputy pay above what was expected at the time have meant that the cost to the County overreached the amount agreed to with the City.
The supervisors said that has left the rest of the County to pick up the tab.
Supervisor Mark Smeby said that the County needs to make sure that rural taxpayers aren’t covering costs of service in the city.
The supervisors discussed that they may not be able to continue the agreement after it ends on June 30.
At that meeting, they said if they decided to end the agreement, they would send an official letter stating that the current agreement will end on June 30 and the City of Northwood will need to have another option in place as of July 1.
As stated in the agreement, that would leave the City responsible for four deputies that are assigned as on duty in the city, as well as two vehicles.
The County would retain vehicle equipment, personal equipment, uniforms and other items purchased or supplied by the County.
The sheriff’s deputies would have to relocate their downtown offices, which are provided by the City of Northwood as a part of the agreement.
Also mentioned were other costs that the City may have to cover if they have their own police force again, or if they set a new agreement with the County, including jailing and transporting inmates, dispatch and other administrative fees.
With an end to the current agreement, the City would have to re-establish a police force or reach a different agreement with Worth County, for different levels of service, or for occasional patrols and response to calls, like in other Worth cities. Those cities will pay a per capita rate of $38.25 starting on July 1.
That would mean deputies would respond based on their availability and proximity to the city. If they are busy on other calls, the Iowa State Patrol or neighboring county deputies may be called to assist.
However, at the March 4 meeting, the supervisors said that the volume of calls in Northwood means that its per capita rate would likely be higher than the other cities.
At their regular meeting on March 9, the supervisors made the decision and opted not to continue the current agreement for Northwood’s law enforcement.
At the meeting, speaking with Worth County attorney Jeff Greve, supervisor chair Enos Loberg said that the board had decided not to continue with the agreement to provide Northwood with 365 days a year 24/7 coverage.
Loberg asked Greve if he would send the City an official letter to let them know the County would be letting the agreement end.
Greve said he would do that and that it would be made clear that, per the agreement, the City would be taking over the employment of the four deputies and be responsible for reinstituting a police department to provide for law enforcement.
Loberg said that would give them about four months to do what’s needed for law enforcement.
In addition to moving from the City’s building, County equipment would need to be removed from two vehicles owned by the City. Or the equipment could be sold to the City.
Greve said he would work on a letter. He also noted that the letter was a courtesy, and that no formal action was required. The supervisors would just allow the agreement to end on June 30.