The next step in the process of closing down the Americus Police Department will be a full inventory of the department’s files and materials.
That was the determination of the Americus City Council members during their most recent meeting Tuesday evening. Americus Mayor Dustin Wright.
Handling the inventory will be former Americus City Police Chief Jody Meyer. A timeline for the inventory, according to Wright, is not yet available; however, he says he is hopeful it will be underway, if not substantially completed by the board’s next meeting. In addition to the inventory, Americus leadership is in the process of transferring case files to the Lyon County District Attorney’s office, per City Clerk Dodie Doudna, who has been in communication with county staff for that purpose in recent weeks.
Other items of business that will need to be handled before the department can be officially closed down will be an equipment sale, including the department’s only cruiser; however, it was noted Tuesday that no steps can be taken in that direction until the inventory is completed. The city council voted unanimously for the dissolution of the department during its February meeting, after concerns had been developing for more than five years, as Americus has been having increasing difficulty meeting state and federal guidelines for law enforcement agencies over the last year.
Once the dissolution is completed, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office will take over patrol in the town, with Wright saying he doesn’t believe the changeover will be noticeable.
There is no official agreement between Americus and the Sheriff’s Office; however, city leadership has said there is no need for a signed agreement because deputies already serve the Americus area as funded through Lyon County tax dollars.
