Council directs staff to pursue two-year extension with sheriff, to revisit reestablishing a Willows police department after sales-tax receipts

The Willows City Council on Feb. 25 reached a consensus to negotiate a two-year extension of the city’s contract for law enforcement services with the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office rather than immediately reestablishing a municipal police department.

Council members said rebuilding a police department would be costly and time-consuming; several members and outside speakers urged caution and recommended waiting to see actual sales-tax (Measure I) receipts. City staff and a council-appointed law-enforcement committee presented that approach as a way to allow the city to build reserves, collect two quarters of revenue and better estimate the long-term fiscal and staffing implications before committing to a new department.

Council members discussed trade-offs: local control and visible day-to-day presence if the city had its own force versus the costs, staffing challenges and administrative burden of standing up a department. Several council members praised Sheriff Justin Gibbs and said the city currently enjoys an amicable working relationship with the sheriff’s office. Multiple council members asked staff to continue discussions with the sheriff and to seek a two-year contract extension through June 30, 2028, and to return to council in November 2025 with an update after actual Measure I receipts are available.

Public commenters who are former Willows police personnel and longtime residents said a local department increases familiarity with the community but acknowledged the financial and staffing constraints. The council asked staff to include in future analyses more detail on costs such as dispatch, animal control, equipment and potential staffing models.

This direction was recorded as council consensus rather than as a formal ordinance or resolution; staff said they would pursue negotiations and report back in November 2025.