Auxvasse police chief Kevin Suedmeyer said the city's police department's budget would likely be in the red by November, but he's got a possible solution to keep the city safe.
At Tuesday's meeting of the Auxvasse city council, Suedmeyer said a push to establish a neighborhood watch program in the city's neighborhoods was the best solution available to keep crime down.
Suedmeyer called police presence the number one deterrent to crime, but cited budget concerns as reasons for the city's police staff being as small as it was. With the rising number of events the city has been holding, including last month's car show and street dance and the upcoming North Callaway homecoming parade, Seudmeyer has said the department's resources have been pushed to the limit.
"Every time we have big events, we've got four guys that we're paying by the hour. Unfortunately we don't make money, we cost money," he said. "My budget is stretched thinner than thin."