Posted: 2/27/07
Officer canít patrol city when squad gets stuck
By Tom van der Linden
Special to the Argus
Caledonia police Ofc. James Logan noted in his officerís log that he was unable to patrol the city for almost six hours Saturday night because his car got stuck at the police station.
When he called two city plow drivers and asked to have the main roads cleared, they refused to do so, Ofc. Logan reported.
Caledonia City Clerk Bob Nelson said the city doesnít have a relevant policy, and he doesnít recall having a problem before.
However, as a former county maintenance man, Nelson said plows generally start work about 4 a.m. so people can get to work. He assumes officers would call the plow drivers for help in an emergency.
Houston County Chief Deputy Scott Yeiter said the county had three four-wheel-drive vehicles out, and they were able to patrol throughout the night. Had there been a problem getting around, they would have called the Houston County Highway Department for help with plows.
On Friday night, there was an Emergency on North Pine Creek Road, and deputies called a neighbor who had a plow.
"We know people will help out," he said.
La Crescent police sometimes use a spare city truck to patrol when snow is heavy, said Yeiter, formerly a La Crescent patrolman.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com