Watkinsville will keep Police Dept

The Watkinsville City Council, in a unanimous vote at last night’s meeting in Watkinsville, opted to keep, rather than disband, the Watkinsville Police Department. Abolishing the department had been discussed in a recent series of public meetings in Watkinsville.

From the Facebook page of Watkinsville City Councilman Brian Brodrick (pictured above)...

We voted 5-0 to keep the Watkinsville Police Department after evaluating details from the Public Safety Commission, reviewing input from local citizens, and learning that the decision will likely have no impact on our operating budget. Thanks to all the citizens and business owners who weighed in through this process. Special thanks to the citizen's committee for all of its work, and to the Oconee County Georgia Sheriff's Office for the collaborative and classy approach it has taken to partnering with and supporting our department. My hope is that this joint approach continues as we begin our search for a new chief and the Watkinsville PD moves ahead. Personally, my belief has been that a local police department is vital to the health and identity of Watkinsville, and I saw no compelling evidence that the Watkinsville PD cannot become one of Georgia's finest small town police forces within the next 3-5 years, if not sooner. Indeed, I think that is our citizens' expectation.