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FACT BRIEF

Did police in the southeastern Minnesota town of Goodhue resign due to low wages?

By Alberto Gomez
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YES

Goodhue’s police chief and six other officers have submitted their resignations, citing low pay. The chief received a job offer with a neighboring department, the Star Tribune and KARE reported.

On August 9, 2023, Goodhue Police Chief Josh Smith submitted his resignation, citing the city’s offered $22 an hour wage could not recruit and retain staff. On Aug. 11, the six other officers submitted their resignations as well.

During a city council meeting on July 26, Smith said the small police force had zero applicants to fill positions.

At the time, five part-time officers, one full-time officer and Smith made up the city's police force.

Smith and the other full-time officer will continue working for Goodhue until August 23, when their resignation becomes effective. Smith stated he’s taking a position in nearby Lake City, Minnesota.

Goodhue will seek help from the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office until the positions are filled.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Internet Archive Goodhue Police Department (Aug. 16, 2023)
StarTribune Southeast Minnesota Police Department Resigns
KARE Entire Goodhue Police Department resigns; mayor says she was 'blindsided'
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.