Kingsland Council To Consider Dropping Contract with Sheriff

KINGSLAND - The Kingsland City Council is considering dropping its contract with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department that provides police protection for the city, according to Mayor Sharon Crosby.Meanwhile, the city council is also considering the idea of changing the term lengths for city council members from two to four years.The Kingsland City Council held its regular monthly meeting last Thursday night at Kingsland City Hall. Among the items discussed was the city’s pending contract renewal with the sheriff’s department to provide police protection for the city. The current contract expires at the end of the year.Kingsland had previously used a part-time city marshal to provide local policing, but funding the position, along with finding someone to serve as marshal, became difficult. So, the city council decided to drop the position and enter into a contract with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department to provide police protection several years ago.Crosby said the city council had several questions about the city’s contract with the sheriff’s department, which expires at the end of the year. Some of the complaints expressed during the meeting were a lack of patrols in the city, and why other communities in the county like New Edinburg and Woodlawn do not have to pay.The mayor said she intends to get with Sheriff Jack Rodgers to get answers to some of their questions before addressing the contract renewal during the city council’s November meeting.Kingsland and Rison are the only two incorporated cities in Cleveland County, and both are considered as “second class” cities since their population is between 500 and 2,499 people. According to state law, second class cities “may” have a police department, city marshal or other law enforcement agency, but it is not required.Rison, like Kingsland, also has a contract with the sheriff’s department for law enforcement.Crosby said t...