NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - A Kentucky sheriff has advice for residents after he announced the suspension of all law enforcement activities: Lock your homes; load your guns and get a dog.
Martin County Sheriff John Kirk says he doesn't have the money to operate the sheriff's office.
In a Facebook post Kirk stated: "I can’t expect people to work if I can’t pay them. I have a deputy in the academy that is scheduled to go back to Richmond this evening but I can’t afford to pay him. It’s a shame. I have two office staff . I will have to cut one position. I have two court security officers. I will have to cut there also."
Kirk said he will move is only other deputy to day shift meaning there will be no police protection at night except for the state police.
He stated: "Im(sic) sure the thieves and drug dealers will have a ball."
The sheriff says court money that was promised to keep his department has not been provided. A large part of the funding problem is a sharp decline in coal severance taxes hitting eastern Kentucky.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that coal taxes dropped from $34 million in the Fiscal Year 2012 to just $6.7 million in the Fiscal Year 2018.
Kirk stated: "I'm very sorry to tell you this but I want the fine folks of this county to know the truth. WE ARE BROKE."
He ended the post with: "FOLKS, LOCK YOUR DOORS, LOAD YOUR GUNS AND GET YOU A BARKING, BITING DOG. If the Sheriffs office can’t protect you , WHO WILL?"