King City Police Department now patrolling without deputies

For nearly 18 months, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office took over King City after hours. But now with more staff and a new police chief city leaders said they’re ready to take back their city.

“This is a day to be celebrated. The fact that we are now staffed to the point where we can have a fulling operational police department,” said King City mayor Robert Cullen.

Still it wasn’t a decision made by King City. Sheriff Steve Bernal announced Monday that he asked for his two deputies back because of his own staffing needs.

“The guys can’t take days off because we’re so short staffed and I can plug one of these deputies back into those slots just to give some of the other deputies relief,” Bernal said.

The sheriff’s office started patrolling King City in the spring of last year after six King City police officers were arrested following a six-month investigating that revealed embezzlement, bribery and criminal threats.

But now more than a year later new police Chief Ron Forgue said the police department is ready to be on its own again.

“I would say I wouldn’t be concerned. Our officers are basically 100 percent trained, dedicated, and they’re committed to making sure king city is safe,” Forgue said.

Forgue said the department has 12 officers, which he said is enough to run the city 24-hours a day. The Sheriff’s Office still has a substation in King City and will be ready to help out if needed.