Police services are left out of Nowthen budget

In Nowthen, public safety isn't in the budget. By a 3-2 vote on Tuesday, a tax-conscious City Council approved an annual levy that again included no money for police services from the Anoka County sheriff, a move likely to mean only emergency calls will be answered after the new year.

For non-emergency calls, "as of Jan. 1, we will direct all callers to contact their City Hall," said county sheriff's spokesman Cmdr. Paul Sommers.

Nowthen became a city in 2008, emerging from what had been Burns Township, and since then it has received free law enforcement coverage from the sheriff's department per the traditional township arrangement. But this fall, Sheriff James Stuart gave the city of 4,400 notice that it is time to start paying for the patrols and emergency response it currently receives or see law enforcement service diminish significantly.

Although there is some movement to fashion a compromise before Dec. 31, it appears likely that starting New Year's Day, Nowthen residents will get only the sheriff's service required by state law. That level has been interpreted as responses to emergencies that could involve serious bodily harm and to water safety incidents. Deputies will not respond to calls for burglaries, thefts, barking dogs, routine traffic accidents or property disputes.

Nowthen is the only city in Anoka County without a police department or a sheriff's contract. Neighboring cities pay from $500,000 to more than $1 million for sheriff's patrols and emergency response. Nowthen residents do pay county taxes that support the sheriff's department.

Up to this point, 911 calls in Nowthen have been covered by a "floater" deputy and others under contract in neighboring cities, such as Andover, Oak Grove and East Bethel. Response to those 911 calls in Nowthen -- 1,303 in 2010 and 1,470 in 2009 -- also comes from municipal police departments in Ramsey and St. Francis.

After Jan. 1, the county dispatch center will still answer 911 police calls from Nowthen residents but will send out deputies only in the most serious instances. The county has not yet settled on what to do with the rest of the police calls it gets from Nowthen. (Nowthen has a contract with the city of Ramsey to respond to fire and medical emergencies and the handling of those will not change.)

Public weighs in

In October, Sheriff Stuart offered Nowthen two options for a law enforcement contract, costing residents either $84 or $174 a year on an average-valued $300,000 home, depending on start date and equipment costs.

About 60 people turned out for the city's truth-in-taxation hearing on Tuesday night.

More so than concerns about public safety, Council Member Harlan Meyer said he heard opposition to taxes.

"The biggest issue with the people was not so much whether we contract to increase or decrease sheriff coverage," he said. "It was the increase in their taxes that got the biggest rise out of the people."

Although colleague Jeff Pilon said he hoped to work with the sheriff to find a creative solution, perhaps by dipping into existing funds for decreased service, Meyer said he wants to see what the decreased coverage looks like.

"I would like to address this maybe in six months, then decide what is the appropriate measure to take," he said. "Maybe it's nothing. We don't know at this point."

Mayor Bill Schulz, who voted against the approved levy, said comments he's heard have been split between those who saw no need for a contract and those who thought the city needed to bite the bullet and sign on, as eight other cities in the county have done. "You're damned if you do and damned if you don't," he said. "You get it from both sides."

Nowthen's move has irritated those across its city lines. Both Ramsey and St. Francis have been providing aid at the request of the sheriff's department. Those cities have their own taxpayer-funded police departments.

St. Francis Police Chief Jeff Harapat said he feels Nowthen is betting on its neighbors to keep coming to its aid.

"It feels like the elected officials of Nowthen are taking advantage of the good nature of their neighbors, who are paying for the service that is being provided to them," he said.

Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409