City of Emily temporarily deactivates police department

EMILY — The City of Emily is currently without a local police department.

The Emily City Council met in an emergency meeting on Wednesday, March 1, where the council met in closed session and ultimately voted to take disciplinary action against Police Chief Damien Stalker.

The council also placed Stalker on administrative leave with pay, pending results of an investigation.

Twelve days later, the council approved a resolution deactivating the police department.

“The City of Emily Police Department has been temporarily deactivated,” the city said in a press release. “During the pendency of this deactivation, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office has taken over policing responsibility and authority within the jurisdiction of the City of Emily and any other jurisdictions for which the City of Emily has contractual responsibility to provide police services.”

City Clerk/Treasurer Cari Johnson said the city had no other comment on the matter.

The city encourages residents of Emily and Little Pine Township in need of non-emergency police services to call the Crow Wing County sheriff’s office at (218) 829-4749.