06/09/2026
PRESS RELEASE
Contract Law Enforcement Services Ending
Willows, CA – The contract for law enforcement services provided by the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office to the City of Willows will end June 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Following negotiations, the Sheriff’s Office and the City of Willows have been unable to come to an agreement for the renewal of this contract. The Sheriff notified the City of Willows on Monday, March 23, 2026, that the agreement for contracted Law Enforcement services, including animal control, in the City of Willows will terminate at the end of the existing contract term, June 30, 2026.
The City of Willows jurisdiction accounts for 56% of the total law enforcement caseload for Glenn County Sheriff’s Office. The cost of delivering services is currently $3.4 million per year. The City currently pays $2.355 million per year, resulting in a loss of nearly $1 million for the County per year. This is unsustainable. The County cannot continue to fund city services as the County budget deficit grows. The Sheriff has informed the City that the discounted rate will not continue after the expiration of the current contract (2023-2026), as the Sheriff is required by law to charge the actual cost of services rendered per Government Code 51350. The Glenn County Board of Supervisors authorized a limited term exception to allow the City time to secure additional funding for public safety.
The voters in the City of Willows passed Measure I, a 1.5% sales tax initiative, in November of 2024 to fund critical services including public safety in the City of Willows. The City of Willows has refused to pay the Sheriff’s Office for the actual cost of delivering law enforcement services and the City has made no meaningful effort over the past 3 years to re-open the City’s Police Department. The County will not continue to subsidize the City. Law enforcement resources will not be diverted from the County residents to the City of Willows at the cost of the County.
Following notification by the Sheriff on March 23rd that the contract for services would not be renewed, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office has taken steps to transition services back to the City of Willows. Due to the unresponsiveness of the City of Willows during this transition, the Sheriff’s Office has been forced to make decisions on how to proceed following the expiration of this contract. The Sheriff’s Office will be instituting an online crime reporting system which includes a module for the City of Willows for citizens to file reports. Calls for service received at our Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) dispatch center will be routed to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) or to the City of Willows Fire Department, until the City of Willows provides other instructions. Per California Government Code 36501, the City of Willows is required to have a Police Chief, which shall be appointed by the City Council under California Government Code 36505. Citizens with questions regarding law enforcement services in the City of Willows should contact the City of Willows at 530-934-7041 or in person at City Hall 201 N Lassen St. Willows, CA.
For general information, contact the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office at 934-6441, visit our website: www.countyofglenn.net/sheriff or access us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/glenncountysheriff