Vernon County Communities of Viroqua and Westby to Investigate Merger of Police Forces

Vernon County

Viroqua council approves joining with Westby to investigate joint police force.  (Vernon County Broadcaster, 9/ 26/2013

Excerpt: The Viroqua City Council voted unanimously, Tuesday, to honor the request of the Westby City Council to form a joint committee to investigate merging the police forces of the two communities. 

The Westby City Council voted 4-2, Sept. 17, to approach the city of Viroqua to form a committee that would look into merging the police forces. The recommendation was brought forward by Westby Mayor Dan Jefson and Viroqua Mayor Larry Fanta. Currently the city of Westby [population 2,200] does not have 24-hour-per-day local police service. Westby Police Chief Mitch Hundt is a 28-year veteran and nearing retirement and Jefson said he wanted to plan for the future. 

The two communities are roughly seven miles apart. The communities co-op together in sports such as girls golf and hockey. A reconstructed four-lane Hwy. 14/61 has made it roughly a seven minute trip between the two cities.

The population of Viroqua is 4,362.