Northern California city declares emergency amid lawsuit against Sheriff’s Office
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Willows declared a public safety emergency before its law enforcement contract ended.
- The city on June 9 filed a civil lawsuit against the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office.
- The city wants the court to order the Sheriff’s Office to continue providing services.
A small Northern California city this week declared a public safety emergency as its contract for law enforcement services expired amid a pending lawsuit against its county’s sheriff’s office.
The Willows City Council declared the emergency on Monday, 48 hours before its law enforcement services contract with the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office expired. City and sheriff’s officials have spent the past few months in a dispute over the cost of a new contract.
The Sheriff’s Office contract expired at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. A few weeks ago, sheriff’s officials announced they would stop providing law enforcement services to Willows when the contract ended.
In a news release, city officials said declaring a public safety emergency enables Willows to request additional help and resources from the state government “to help protect the community while determining a long-term solution.”
“We have found ourselves in an unprecedented situation in Willows. I am disappointed to be in this position and will be working hard with the City Council to get us through this strenuous situation in a timely manner,” Willows Mayor Evan Hutson said in the news release. “It has always been a goal to re-establish our own Police Department, and we will continue toward that goal while doing our best to provide the public safety all of our citizens deserve.”
What happened to Willows PD?
Willows scrapped its city-run Police Department in 2017 and transitioned to contracted services from the Sheriff’s Office. Willows, which is about 85 miles north of Sacramento, had a population of about 6,300 as of the 2020 U.S. Census, just over one-fifth of Glenn County’s nearly 29,000 residents.
Last month, the Sheriff’s Office said its $2.3 million contract with the City of Willows would be terminated because the cost of providing law enforcement services is currently $3.4 million a year. Sheriff’s officials said it results in a loss of nearly $1 million for Glenn County.
Willows officials said the annual contract costs were $1.5 million during a 2022 negotiation with the Sheriff’s Office, and the sheriff’s January 2026 proposal would increase the costs to about 120% over the past four years.
It’s unclear what will happen now when Willows residents need help from law enforcement.
City seeks injunction in court
Last week, Glenn County Sheriff Justin Gibbs released a written statement about the ongoing dispute with Willows.
“Since there is currently pending litigation regarding the subject of law enforcement services in the incorporated City of Willows which was filed by the City of Willows against Glenn County and me, I am unable to respond in detail to inquiries I have been receiving on this topic,” Gibbs said in the June 25 statement. “However, the residents of Glenn County as well as the residents of the City of Willows should rest assured that I, as the Glenn County Sheriff, along with my department, will comply with my constitutional and statutory obligations and duties and will perform these obligations and duties in accordance with all applicable laws.”
Willows filed a civil lawsuit on June 9 in Glenn Superior Court. The city is seeking a court injunction that would order the Sheriff’s Office to continue providing law enforcement services to its residents as they negotiate a new contract. The court has scheduled a hearing next Wednesday to discuss the city’s petition for an injunction and a case management conference.
Sheriff’s officials said last month that they will create an online crime reporting system, which includes a module for Willows residents to file police reports.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office announced an online reporting portal was available to Glenn County residents to make non-emergency reports, check local crime statistics, view the local crime map and request services like extra patrol and live trap rentals, along with reporting control burns, placing anonymous tips and get an accident report online.
Sheriff’s officials also said their development of a separate online portal for Willows residents was underway and will be released as soon as possible.
In the news release earlier this week, city officials said the public safety emergency declaration “was necessary to marshal all available resources, ensure the continuity of law enforcement services and address any potential gaps in public safety.”
City officials asked residents to continue to call 911 for all public safety emergencies while they await next week’s court hearing on the city’s petition for an injunction against the county. They also said the city’s mediation with Glenn County remains ongoing, although no future mediation sessions have been scheduled.
“Protecting our citizens is my focus, while making sure our tax dollars are spent correctly,” Willows Vice Mayor Richard Thomas said in the news release. “My hope is that this emergency is over very quickly.”
