Clay Sheriff: Celina Police Force Needs Attention

The city of Celina is currently operating without a police force.

Clay County Sheriff Brandon Boone told County Commissioners Monday night that in a department with six positions, the police department has been operating with just three over the past year. He said now, the chief is out on medical leave and the other officer told Boone that Celina Mayor Luke Collins allegedly told them to go home until the chief returned.

Boone said his office has been stepping up to help with coverage as best it can.

“I can tell you this, I can’t continue this along,” Boone said. “The people deserve us to respond and we’re going to respond. But when you have two officers on a wreck and it’s causing other people just to wait.”

Boone said he would like the city to pay a little more attention to the issue. He said if a solution is not found soon, the Sheriff’s Department will require more officers to respond to calls.

“And Terry, he’s apologized to me but of course, he can’t help it,” Boone said. “It’s not his fault, and right now it’s out of his control while he recovers.”

Boone said there have been preliminary discussions about the Sheriff’s Office and the Police Department merging into one law enforcement office. Boone said Collins plans to discuss that with his Board of Aldermen.

“I think we’re beyond the point of it being who’s in charge,” Boone said. “That’s the reason it’s not been done up to this point because you would have a police chief that at that point would have to not be a police chief.”

Boone said the county had tried to take over dispatchers at one point but one dispatcher didn’t want the switch because the city has better insurance.

Boone said they are doing their best to respond to calls all across the county. Boone said at the end of the day, the citizens of Celina are paying for a service that they are not receiving.