Sheriff updates board on Montgomery police situation

Le Sueur County Sheriff Brett Mason met with the Le Sueur County Board Tuesday, May 16, to update them on the law enforcement situation in the City of Montgomery.

The county has been providing Montgomery with law enforcement for the past couple of months after coming to an agreement following the resignation of Police Chief John Schmidt.

The agreement provided the City of Montgomery with "Police Department Supervision" by the Le Sueur County Sheriff's Department for a three month period, which ends June 15.

According to Mason, the Montgomery City Council asked the county to provide a full contract proposal by the end of May.

Mason said that the council wanted law enforcement coverage 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

"We are not seeking this out," Mason told the county board Tuesday. "They have asked us to provide a full contract proposal. They are asking for assistance so I have no problem looking into it."

Mason did say if the county was asked to provide the law enforcement and they agreed, the sheriff's department's budget for staff would increase by 55 percent.

The county could decide not to enter into an agreement with the city.

The contract Mason will be working on is one in which full-time deputies would be assigned to the city and the sheriff's department will have total control of the work force.

"We are there because they asked us to be there," Mason said.

"We are preparing to assist. But I don't know what.....