LOXAHATCHEE GROVES, Fla. -- A town without law enforcement protection? That’s the concern in Loxahatchee Groves after contract negotiations between the town and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office fell through in October.
The county is paying close attention. Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay sent a letter to Loxahatchee Groves Mayor David Browning on Oct. 25 asking to be kept informed on the plans of the town to provide law enforcement services. She said she has yet to hear back.
On Oct. 1, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw sent a letter to the town, announcing that starting Oct. 1, 2019, the department would no longer provide its services to the town.
What’s next? No one seems to know and that’s what has McKinlay worried.
“My main priority is to make sure that my constituents in my district are all protected equally by law enforcement and I’m concerned that this community won’t have that equal protection,” McKinlay said.
Forming its own police agency isn’t a feasible option in McKinlay’s eyes.
“They don’t have the financial resources,” McKinlay said.
She said the only option the town has is to sign that contract with the sheriff's office.
Contact 5 reached out to Browning for comment but has not heard back at the time of publication.