Fla. Town Votes to Disband Police Department Over Budget Struggles

Citing budget challenges, the Sneads Town Council voted to shut down the town's police department and transfer law enforcement services to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
Source Officer.com News
Aug. 14, 2026
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What to Know

  • The Sneads Town Council voted 3-2 to dissolve its police department, citing ongoing budget challenges.
  • The department will shut down in October when the town's new budget takes effect.
  • The Jackson County Sheriff's Office will assume law enforcement services at no additional cost to the town.
Sneads, FL, Police Department
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The Sneads Town Council approved a plan to dissolve its police department in October because of budget concerns.

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A Florida town disbanded its police department Tuesday as the municipality faces financial challenges.

In a 3-2 vote, the Sneads Town Council decided it will shut down its police department in October when the town's new budget kicks in, WMBB-TV reports. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office will provide law enforcement coverage, which will not create additional expenses for the town.

Council members blamed the closure on the town's budget struggles. As costs increased, keeping the department open became difficult given the town's other financial responsibilities. 

"I never want to get rid of the police department, but we’ve got to do it for the town," Council Member Angie Locke said at the meeting. 

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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