Despite bringing in money through fines, Resaca’s Police Department could be shuttered if contract negotiations with the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office work out.

According to Resaca Mayor Sam Allen, who had only praise for the young force of five officers, from a financial standpoint, keeping the department doesn’t make much sense.

“With the location of the Sheriff’s office, and the money saved, it would be in the best interest of the town,” he said.

The Resaca Police Department has earned of reputation of bringing in fines, but federal law prohibits more than 40 percent from being used to fund the department.

“We spent a half a million on the department for a year,” said Allen. “They brought in $400,000, but of that, we only collected $250,000.”

When people don’t pay their fines, they will take out warrants for an arrest, a standard practice. But sometimes, the cost of returning someone to the state is more than the fine.

“We can’t just go down to Florida and bring someone back on a $200 speeding ticket. It just doesn’t make sense,” said Allen.

By contracting the service out, which would allow the city to maintain its Local Option Sales Tax eligibility, the town could spend a fraction of the current cost. He said they are still in negotiations with the Sheriff’s Department, but feels confident that they can reach an agreement.

His goal, he said, is to have someone in Resaca around the clock.

Fines will still be collected for the city and the move to close the police department will not affect the town’s municipal court, he said.

Allen said that while he feels that in the future, when the town is bigger, a police department of its own will be an option, but for now, he wants to focus on other needs in the town.

“I hate it for those five guys and one lady (who make up the department),” he said, “but we need to put that money back into the town and not just into the police department.”