COFFEE CITY, Texas — It's been a little over a month since Coffee City dismissed its police force, and on Monday night, the city hosted a town hall to discuss the future of public safety.
"[We're] trying to figure out what our future is going to be," said Coffee City Mayor Jeff Blackstone. "If we are going to be having a new police department and if so how that new police department is going to look."
Perhaps the biggest uncertainty of all is if Coffee City can afford to fund a new police department.
"We’re looking at least $250,000 to just basically have a barebones minimal police department with maybe one or two officers," Blackstone said. "We don’t even have that as a total revenue."
Many in attendance had their own ideas on how to come up with the funding.
Mark Wagley brought up increasing the city's sales tax to fund the police department.
"No, you can’t use it [city sales tax] to fund your police department, so that’s kind of out of the question," Blackstone said.
Bruce Harbert suggested hiring an officer from another police force.
Many were in favor of having a police force that would be fresh and move on from the issues that have been brought to light over the past few months.
"I do support a police department that’s focused on public safety – not revenue," Wagley said.
By the time the town hall ended, there seemed to be two options on how to fund a new police department -- either apply for grants or increase property taxes to $0.25 for every $100 of valuation.
"I don’t think that property taxes would get you there, that’s my opinion," Harbert said.
With no clear answer, residents like Trevor Bushell fear there won't be a new police force anytime soon.
"My concern is that we may not come up with a solution," Bushell said. "The general activity if you don’t have a police force, crime will come your way."
Blackstone doesn't think there needs to be a police department, but recognizes the citizens want one.
"I could tell people feel they need a police department because they need that quicker response time," Blackstone said.
Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse was also in attendance and explained how his office is assisting with patrols.
Over the last six weeks they’ve only responded to 38 calls in the city.
Regardless, Hillhouse said he’ll support a police department if that’s what the citizens want.
"We need something with a couple of officers so that we got representation here that will substantiate with the locals of Henderson County," Bushell said.