By Police1 Staff
DIXFIELD, Maine — A local town is without a police department after it was shut down Tuesday night.
WCSH reported that the Dixfield Police Department was shut down due to a “personnel issue.”
The town has debated whether or not to keep the department open for years because of financial reasons.
Community members recently voted to keep the department open, so the shutdown came as a surprise, according to the news station.
Officials said the shutdown is temporary.
“For something to have happened to shut down – okay so it’s two people, but still – it’s the town’s police force,” resident Rebecca Howard said. “To be shut down – something significant has got to be going on.”
While personnel matters are confidential, town leaders said the issue will be resolved in 3 to 4 weeks.
“As far as law-enforcement, I think we’ve done the necessary steps to ensure that [Dixfield residents] will be protected as they were before,” Town Manager Carlo Puiia said.
The Oxford County Sheriff’s Department will take over.