Crime
Retirement of Shelby policeman puts the town’s law enforcement future in limbo
The Town of Shelby, south of La Crosswe, needs to decide how it’s going to provide law enforcement, because its only police officer is preparing to retire.
Members of the Shelby Town Board are discussing a possible referendum, late this year, to ask residents whether they want to maintain a police force, after Officer Sean Horton steps down, or have the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Department cover the town.
La Crosse County Sheriff John Siegel said during a Tuesday committee meeting that his department would likely get the roughly 800 calls a year that have gone to Shelby police.
Both the Shelby board and a county law enforcement committee met Tuesday, and discussed options.
Horton has been Shelby’s only officer for a couple of years. Shelby has a population of around 4,700.
A referendum also could be used to authorize funding for an officer, because Shelby is experiencing cuts in state revenue, while local costs are going up.