CALHOUN, Tenn. (AP) - The small East Tennessee city of Calhoun has laid off all three of its police officers.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported Calhoun Mayor Faye Parks said the officers were let go this week because there wasn't enough money to pay them. They were already off the job when Parks made her announcement to the city commission meeting Monday.
Parks -- who was elected to office in 2010 -- noted the McMinn County city of about 500 residents has a small tax base, no reserve fund and no capital outlay fund.
Parks said the police department didn't take in enough money to offset officers' salaries, but she also noted the state doesn't like city police operating off fines. She didn't know if the officers would eventually be rehired.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
