In reversal, Forest Lake votes to keep its police department
The Forest Lake City Council on Monday approved a new contract with its police department, and rescinded its approval of a law enforcement agreement with the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
The vote was 4-1.
The move reverses last week's vote by the council and Mayor Ben Winnick that would have disbanded the 23-member force. The decision prompted widespread objections from residents, including a walkout in support of police at Forest Lake High School and an online petition to recall Winnick.
"They're a part of the community, and people are proud of them being here. We had kids who showed up and said 'you know I've gotten in trouble, and the police helped me.' And they're not afraid of the police. They know that the police are there to help them and build them into a better person," said Carmen Martin, who's lived in Forest Lake for a decade. "So I think we've got a good group here."
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Police in the east metro suburb have been working without a contract since January. On Thursday, Law Enforcement Labor Services, the union that represents Forest Lake Police, said in a joint statement with the city and sheriff's office that the city and officers had reached a tentative labor agreement.
The three-year contract proposal includes 2 percent salary increases over the first two years and a 3 percent raise in 2019.
Council Member Mike Freer voted against the new police contract.
"There are still issues with this contract. It does not establish local control. There are still serious issues that I have with the agreement," Freer said. "Unfortunately, we're not able to discuss it at this point."
Capt. Greg Weiss said a big task in the months ahead is forging new bonds with city leaders.
"It's time to move forward. It's time to find common ground of what the city leaders want and what we can provide, and do it in a fiscally responsible manner to the best of our abilities as we always have done," Weiss said.
To that end, the city council also approved hiring an organizational development specialist to work with council members and police on rebuilding their relationship.