Over the past few months, two Salado police officers and the police chief resigned leaving one lone officer to patrol the entire village of Salado.
The Salado Board of Aldermen, essentially an elected city council, agreed to reach out to the Bell County Sheriff's Department and ask for help.
Bell County Sheriff's Department is now sending out sheriffs on overtime shifts that their deputies can sign up for willingly.
"They are tax payers of Bell County, and we do provide coverage for them all the time anyway," Eddy Lange, the Sheriff of Bell County, said.
To make sure they're covered, city leaders are hiring deputies to provide extra coverage for residents and business owners who are concerned with the decline in officers.
"Anyone that reads or hears about only one police officer in a community, it does stress a lot of concern and worries over the business district because of our banking, the jewelry and also the shopping," Creta Ferrin, owner of Salado Creek Jewelers, said.
With the added presence from the Sheriff's Department, concerned shop owners like Lara Tracy are now feeling more secure.
"I am absolutely thankful that the Sheriff's Office have come in and stepped in where we have a void because it does make me feel as a business owner that we are then protected," Lara Tracy, co-owner of The Shoppes on Main in Salado, said.
To make sure all citizens are protected, city leaders are working to hire more officers. But until that happens...
"It's an open-ended agreement, so if they need us for another two weeks or another two months...we'll take care of them as long as we need to," Sheriff Lange added.
Bell County Sgt. Kevin Dallas said he has worked about five shifts since the agreement started to make a little extra money and help the people of Salado feel protected.
In the past, Bell County Sheriff's Department has helped other towns with police departments in need, including Troy a number of years ago.
Mayor Blancett and Officer Josh Tulloch of Salado were unavailable for comments Wednesday. But, Sheriff Lange said they should be applauded for stepping up to the plate, keeping their citizens' safety a priority and asking for help.
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