Weeks after an effort to disband the Big Bend Police Department failed and the village board signed a contract to keep the force, a mass exodus. Half the department has resigned. The head of Big Bend’s Police and Fire Commission has also left.
“I am tired of the harassment of this village board and all the crap that I’ve been dealing with throughout the years,” said Jamie Soneberg, former Big Bend police officer to the village board on Dec. 7, 2023.
“It’s bound to happen with the way they’ve been treated over the years,” said Josh Grover, Big Bend Village Trustee who has consistently sided with the police.
The large departure leaves Big Bend with a big hole to fill. Only five officers remain, and just one of them is full time.
“That was crazy and who’s gonna be running our force and what police officers do we have left? It’s just nuts,” said Kristle Morin, Big Bend resident. Morin has lived in Big Bend her entire life and says it’s never been like this.
Social media has been blowing up with comments, complimenting the officers and attacking the village board.
This fall, a majority of board members swiftly and silently pressed for a shared police services contract with neighboring Vernon, but the deal fell through because Vernon said no.
Signs first went up in September when the controversy began, and the community wanted to show support. Well, the board ultimately voted to keep its police force intact for another year, but the signs of support remain.
“The last few months have been nothing but attack on public safety, attack on public safety. They can’t get the police force gone, so then they attack the police and fire commission,” said Trustee Grover.
This month, the board took initial steps that could ultimately lead them to do away with their police and fire commission. This, after conflict about who should name a successor to former Big Bend Police Chief Don Gaglione who passed away suddenly in October.
“I said the village president does not have the authority to appoint anyone. It’s the fire and police commission’s duty and responsibility to appoint the next person in line.” Mark Andersen runs All Occasions Catering and Bubbs Barbecue in Big Bend. He was also the head of the Big Bend Police and Fire Commission for two and a half years.
A week later, the head of the commission resigned.
“There is a reason why all these things are happening. There’s so much distrust between the village board and the fire and police departments themselves,” said Andersen.
The residents, caught in the middle, sadly losing that small town feel, where they could call out a friendly ‘hello’ to officers, like Chief Gaglione, who they knew by name.
“I was gonna do this and I stayed into this in remembrance of the chief. I was not going to allow this to happen and go forward and have his name taken in vain,” said Andersen.
