St. Louis County Police are filling a law enforcement gap in Dellwood as efforts continue to disband the suburb's municipal police force.
Dellwood's Mayor, Loretta Johnson, requested the county's help while eight of Dellwood's 16 police department positions remain vacant.
County Police Chief Tim Fitch said it's the county's duty to step in when a city can't ensure public safety.
"There's no sheriff's department in St. Louis County that does any law enforcement. So, that's us," he said. "We're required by charter and by state statutes to do the duties of the sheriff and one of the things the sheriff is responsible for in any county is county-wide law enforcement for state law violation."
Four of Dellwood's police officers resigned recently amid City Hall efforts to contract law enforcement services from the county.
Fitch says four county officers have been assigned to temporary daytime patrol shifts at no cost to the city of Dellwood. County officers will not be enforcing city ordinances.
