ORRICK, Mo. — The entire police department, including the police chief, in a small Missouri town has quit, a city official told 5 On Your Side. A reason as to why they all walked off the job has not been given.
The town of Orrick has been without its police force for a month, as reported earlier this week by KSHB, the NBC affiliate in Kansas City. Orrick is in western Missouri's Ray County, about 30 miles east of Kansas City. It's a town of about 880 people, according to the city's website.
"The Chief resigned, as did the other full-time officer and the part-time officers as well," a city official said in a statement. "No notice was given or complaints lodged with the Board or Mayor by any officer before this action was undertaken. They are employees at will, and have the right to resign their positions at any time they wish and that is what they chose to do."
While the town figures out what to do, they have reached out to the sheriff's office in Ray County to help with patrols. A city official said the deputies will be compensated by the city for patroling Orrick. They will be able to enforce city ordinances as well as state and county violations.
Calls to 911 will be answered by the Ray County Sheriff's Department. A city said "the City, its Mayor and Board of Aldermen are confident that there will be no significant lapse in coverage and/or any increase in crime that will not be charged and/or fully prosecuted – as it has been in the past."
The city plans to restructure the police department and will find new officers after the new year.