The agenda for the Newton City Council meeting this Thursday night includes an item to consider and possibly take action to “discontinue Law Enforcement and a Police Department for the City of Newton thereby transferring responsibilities to Newton County, repealing all ordinance and resolutions on the creation of a police department and repealing all ordinances that include any action by the police department.”

The agenda item that follows includes possible action to provide funding to Newton County for law enforcement.

The council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday.

It's a story we broke early this morning.

KFDM called Newton Mayor Mark Bean for comment. We haven't heard back yet.

We did speak with Police Chief Will Jackson about the agenda item.

"It's an ongoing thing," said Chief Jackson. "The Sheriff's Office and me don't have a working relationship. It's not a money issue. If council disbands the Police Department, the County would enter into a contract with the city for law enforcement. The city would pay a certain amount each year. They'd get all of our equipment. We have four officers."

The Chief says no one approached him about the idea.

"No one discussed this with me," said Chief Jackson. "We've tried to work with them. It hasn't been a great relationship. The previous sheriff, Billy Rowles, we had a great relationship. You're fixing to give one man a lot of power. We average more than 100 calls a month. I think response would be impacted and the quality of service to the city would be impacted if our department is disbanded. I don't think the public would want the change. People wouldn't like disbanding the Police Department."

We also spoke with Sheriff Robert Burby.

"It seems like there are a lot of personal feelings on his part, not on my part," said Sheriff Burby. "I don't have any hard feelings. We'll always be there. We always have. I have nothing to do with getting anyone out. I stay in my lane. He doesn't have to like anyone to be a professional. Personality has nothing to do with it. I have no agenda to get rid of him or the department. My agenda is to further my department. If the city needs us, we'll be there. Hopefully, everything will work out. Not liking someone is petty. You don't have to like someone to do the job. It's all about professionalism. I'm not here to make him or anyone else look bad. All of the other things people say about the relationship, that tends to be their opinion. I stay on the job. I don't know him. Somehow it got personal. It's not personal with me. I stay in my lane. I think we do a damn good job in Newton County given the number of people we have and the large area we have cover. Response time is something difficult because we have a 937 square mile county, about 80 miles long. Those things work into doing your due diligence. It's all about good policing. It has never been and never will be personal with him or anyone else."