Edgewood Police Back At Work

Edgewood has its police department back — for now.

Monday’s crowded and, at times, emotionally heated Edgewood City Council meeting did not produce a final decision on the police department’s status when the new budget year begins Oct. 1.

The entire staff was placed on paid administrative leave July 24 by Edgewood Mayor Charles Prater, who cited "economic concerns" as the reason for the departmental shutdown through Monday.

The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office provided law enforcement coverage for the city during those four days.

It was apparent from public comments, however, that most citizens do not want the Edgewood Police Department disbanded indefinitely.

"You say this council is being proactive, but it’s being reactive, not proactive," resident P. J. Rowdon said. "If you take away the police department, what do you think will happen?

"People would move out and you are not going to have any businesses coming here," he continued. "The best thing you can do is make sure you have a police department, because the sheriff’s office is not going to put a deputy here."

Several others attending voiced their displeasure at the notion the city’s protection might be left to the sheriff’s office.

One woman who said she lives about one mile from Edgewood High School commented, "Three years ago, our house was robbed, everything taken. It took an hour and a half for a deputy to get there."

One woman at the meeting responded to Prater’s outline of possible future property tax rate increases — he projected it to be 16 cents over the next five years — to continue city operations as they are now.

"I know saying this is not going to make me very popular, but it’s obvious people want their police department. The thing to do if you have to is raise our taxes," she said.

Prater and council members took some heat from citizens on several fronts, one being the decision to move the meeting from its normal evening time slot to 9 a.m. Monday morning.

"I’m real disappointed with that. Why is the council meeting at 9 a.m. while everyone is at work?" asked one member of the audience.

Others said they felt the council had moved too slowly on budget issues, or were not looking at other areas to trim. Earlier in the meeting, Prater had pointed out the police department was 45 percent of the city’s general revenue expenditures and 73 percent of its general fund salaries.

Mayor Pro Tem James McEnturff said he "understood the emotional nature of the issues involved," but later added he felt the council had to look at the long-term picture for local tax dollars.

"It is my duty as a council member to see that taxpayer dollars are being spent in a fiscally responsible manner," he said. "If a decision is made to dissolve the police department, I have been assured by the sheriff’s office that they can provide equal to or better coverage."

That drew the ire of resident Stacy Hilton, flanking McEnturff in one corner of the room.

"If that’s the case, then you should have gotten rid of them (police department) a long time ago. Shame on you….You ought to be ashamed you let it (budget) get to this," Hilton said.

Things got heated at one point between police chief Henry Askew and Prater about the temporary shutdown of the department. Askew reiterated a statement he made in an interview published in the July 27 Van Zandt News that he and his officers "were treated like criminals" in being escorted off the police department premises with personal belongings.

"McEnturff told me the reason you had two Texas Rangers here while that was going on was because we (police officers) all have aggressive personalities," Askew said.

"If this is really about money, let me go because I’m your biggest salary in the department. But let my people work," he added.

In presenting a police department budget for the new fiscal year, Askew pointed out that the department had recently received trainer certification from the state, allowing it to bring in additional revenue by hosting classes for police officers throughout the area.

Askew also mentioned the department could cut costs in other areas, including a stoppage of going outside the city to assist other law enforcement departments.

Prater, Askew and city attorney David Mallard of Terrell met behind closed doors after the council meeting. That was followed a meeting of police department personnel, including the unpaid reserve officers.

Late Monday afternoon, Askew said by phone that "the department is back at work."