Four of the eight EMTs at Silver Lake Ambulance have threatened to resign after the city contracted out policing to the McLeod County Sheriff's Office. | Pixabay
Four of the eight EMTs at Silver Lake Ambulance have threatened to resign after the city contracted out policing to the McLeod County Sheriff's Office. | Pixabay
The Silver Lake City Council recently voted 3-2 to contract law enforcement duties to the McLeod County Sheriff’s Office, and four of Silver Lake Ambulance’s eight EMTs are threatening to resign in response.
Silver Lake Ambulance Chief Steve Hackbarth told the Hutchinson Leader that he had already been struggling to maintain a full schedule. The four who have promised to resign told Hackbarth they are worried about slower response times without dedicated officers in Silver Lake.
“It needs to be understood that going from 80 hours to 40 hours is not saving money,” Hackbarth told the Hutchinson Leader. “It is selling our police protection for money.”
During the meeting where the McLeod County Board approved the contract, board member Ron Shimanski said that the county should have no problem providing sufficient law enforcement to Silver Lake.
“The service we can provide through McLeod County law enforcement is second to none,” Shimanski said.
Council members Josh Winfrey, Chris Penaz and Nolan Johnson voted in favor of the decision, and council member Brenda Fogarty and Mayor Dorothy Butler opposed it, according to reporting by the Hutchinson Leader.
Alerts Sign-up