Alto, Texas can't afford it's own Police Force.

[Krauter]

It's kind of similar to Canada, Ontario as well. I'm not sure about how it works here in Quebec, but from where I originally hail from we had municipal police as well as OPP (Ontario Provincial Police). Some towns and municipalities in my region decided to drop their municipal police and just run with OPP instead thus saving costs and the like.

[GoldenRivet]

Im not far from Alto.

Have friends there, and used to routinely overfly the little town.

its a small community, and it doesnt amount to much more than a four way stop with about 1200 people within the city limits.

Im sure they do have problems with money. it is probably one of the poorer communities.

that said, Cherokee County has an excellent sheriff's department capable of responding to calls in Alto IMHO

My little Village had a Constable for years.
(Maybe 800 people live here)
They eliminated that position and Crime actually dropped!
I believe it was because the County Sheriff's department does not take BS as he did.
So money was saved and crime reduced.
The Sheriff's department also supports home defense in this County.
Saves them money as they only need to send a Coroner most times.

[Onkel Neal]

Pfft, a town that small only needs two cops.

[Feuer Frei!]

I think apart from the fact that law enforcement has been put on hold for 6 mths, the other big thing i scratch my head over is what kind of council is this, is the council almost broke? The mismanagement OR misappropriation of funds. Which one is it?
And i'm not sure over there (US) but here the 'local' councils get grants and funds from the state government, which inturn is funded by the Federal government.
Anyone enlighten me on that?
What i'm asking is, and the quote in the op says so, the council is almost broke, skimp, short on pennies etc etc.
How does a local council get into that situation in the first place?
I can think of 2, which i mentioned up above in this post.
Now, if, and i say if that is the case, then surely the state government would monitor and regulate that and take action as seen necessary and/or fit to rectify this immediately.
Fair assumptions?

[magic452]

Local police are just that, Local and so is 90% of the funding.
With the recession still going strong many local governments are really short of local funds. Property tax and sales taxes are the principle income for most small local governments and property values are down 50% or more so property tax income is way down. Same for sales tax revenue.

As the article states there is an alternative police available so no doubt the easy thing to cut was the cops. Taking the easy way out (mismanagement?)
Put the cost on somebody else. They learned that from the federal government.
As for the state it neither has the money or the jurisdiction to do much.
Cherokee County sheriff's office was next in line before you get to the state level.

Magic

How does a local council get into that situation in the first place?

Very easily, one big expense can wipe out years of careful budgeting.
In this case it looks like a single needed infrastructure repair did the job.
Plus of course a reliance on sales and property as a means of revenue meaning an economic downturn and property crash your revenue goes.

surely the state government would monitor and regulate that and take action as seen necessary and/or fit to rectify this immediately.

I never thought of you being in favour of more and bigger government

Pfft, a town that small only needs two cops.

With 60 crimes per year does it even need 2?