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City officials in Minnesota said they were "blindsided" after their entire police force recently resigned.
Members of the Goodhue City Council held a standing room only meeting at city hall to discuss the resignation letters they received from Police Chief Josh Smith, another officer and five part-time officers last week.
"I think we're all a little bit blindsided by it, but we're resilient and we're going to move forward," said Goodhue Mayor Ellen Anderson Buck via FOX 9.
Smith and the other six officers will remain employed until August 24, at which point the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office will takeover their remaining cases.
"I want to reiterate that we will have police coverage in the city of Goodhue. That is not an issue," Anderson Buck said via FOX 9.
Smith had previously acknowledged recruitment issues during a city council meeting held on July 26, claiming the city's compensation offer of $22 per hour was not competitive.
"We've got zero applicants and I have zero prospects. I've called every PD around looking for the youngest guys out there getting into the game. There's nobody getting into the game," Smith said via FOX 9.
City officials acknowledged that they would have to offer more money in order to be competitive with other departments. Anderson Buck also said she will meet with Goodhue County Sheriff Marty Kelly to discuss all potential options for police coverage on Wednesday (August 16).