OAKBORO, N.C. — Oakboro leaders voted Monday night to keep the town's police department despite significant staffing issues.
The Oakboro Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of keeping the police force. Monday's meeting came after residents voiced concerns that the town was running out of officers, putting public safety at risk. The department says it is exploring all options to fix the problem.
Residents told WCNC Charlotte there's been no transparency from the town, leaving Stanly County officials to pick up the slack. Deputies have been covering Oakboro in place of Oakboro Police, according to the Stanly County Sheriff's Office. The county pays these deputies time-and-a-half, which is paid back to the county by the town of Oakboro.
"I'm a concerned citizen" resident Andrew Mullis said. "Since about May, they've lost about five officers and lost the police chief."
WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with news that impacts you from the team at WCNC Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.