KIMBERLY (NBC 26) — The Fox Valley Metro Police Department says they were "blindsided" the village of Kimberly may cut ties with them and switch to a different law enforcement agency.
“We were shocked and disappointed,” Fox Valley Metro Professional Police Association president Randy Lefeber said in a news release Monday. “If Kimberly severs ties with our agency, dedicated officers will lose their jobs through no fault of their own, and residents will lose the ability to directly shape the police services in their own community.”
The village announced on June 2 it is reconsidering its 30-year partnership with Fox Valley Metro PD in favor of contracting with the Outagamie County Sheriff's Office for policing services.
Village Administrator Danielle Block said the decision stems from concerns about rising costs.
"Larger investments that we are faced with right now related to evidence storage and the future of the safety center which sits in Little Chute," Block told NBC 26 Fox Cities reporter Noah Cornelius on June 2.
The police association says FVMPD responds to nearly 6.000 calls for service every year in Kimberly, including more than 450 criminal investigations.
“Every day, our officers show their deep commitment to the people of Kimberly,” Lefeber said in the release. “From answering calls for help, to running specialized programs like school resource officers and the K-9 unit, to engaging in meaningful community outreach, we’ve worked tirelessly to meet the unique needs of the community. We are proud of our service—and we hope to continue it.”
The village is holding listening sessions about the future of its policing services on Monday, June 16 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Municipal Complex in Kimberly.
If Kimberly proceeds with the change, it would follow Combined Locks as the second village to end its partnership with Fox Valley Metro, leaving Little Chute as the department's only remaining partner. Combined Locks left its partnership with FVMPD in 2017.
