YATES CENTER — The future of the Yates Center Police Department is decidedly murky after City Council members voted Tuesday evening to substantially downsize the department later this year.
In a surprise vote, the Council voted 3-2 with one abstention to shrink the force down to a single position held by a police chief who would be on duty from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Law enforcement duties after hours would fall under the Woodson County Sheriff’s Department.
The changeover is scheduled for April.
However, that change may not come.
Councilman John Atkin, who voted against the switch, told the Register a special meeting to further discuss the matter had been scheduled for Wednesday evening at City Hall, at which time “I expect that decision to be reversed.”
The change came about as Council members discussed city spending.
Councilman Lyle Kee, who retired nine years ago as Yates Center Police Chief of 33 years, proposed the switch. His motion was backed by fellow Council members Tammy Porter and Chris Cavender.
Voting against were Atkin and Jason Cathcard.
Charyl Stewart abstained from the vote, purportedly in hopes of sparking further discussion before a decision was made.
But with a plurality in favor, that meant the motion carried.
KEE TOLD the Register the motion was made “to get a handle on city spending.”
He said the department’s four full-time and two part-time officers and four patrol cars are supported by an annual budget of $395,000 “for a town of 1,200 people.”
Kee said changes in the police force have been discussed “off and on,” but acknowledged the vote “came up rather quickly (Monday) night.”
“It came out of the blue,” Atkin said. “I was shocked.”
Yates Center Police Chief Michael Strode — who is currently in Arkansas for training — told the Register in a phone call he was “floored” by the vote. “Everyone was.”
“There had been nothing discussed or even brought up for the city to consider,” Strode told the Register. “As far as I knew, everything was fine.”
In fact, Strode said the Council had approved the purchase of a used patrol car during its previous meeting.
