Police protection for the city of Kingsland in Cleveland County is being debated by the city council there.
According to the Cleveland County Herald, Kingsland currently has a contract with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department to provide protection which expires at the end of the year.
Previously, Kingsland has hired a part-time city marshal but funding for that position, as well as finding someone to fill it proved difficult, so the city contracted with the sheriff’s department.
The newspaper said at the council meeting, there were complaints about a lack of patrols in the community and questions about why Kingsland was having to pay when the Woodlawn and New Edinburg communities were not paying.
Rison and Kingsland are the only two incorporated cities in the county and are classified as “second-class” cities with populations of 500 to 2,499 people. State law says communities may have a police department, city marshal or other law enforcement agency but it is not required.
Mayor Sharon Crosby said that a new contract will cost the city about $1,000 a month and said that money could be used for other things.
