MEIGS — For the first time in more than 60 years, Meigs is without a police department.

Tuesday was the last day for the Meigs Police Department, though now-former interim police chief Antonio Mango said much of that time was spent winding down operations.

Police equipment had to be inventoried and verified by a council member and the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office before being handed off to city hall for safekeeping, and computer systems at the office had to be shut down.

By 2 p.m. the office was closed.

“I wish the City of Meigs the best of luck,” Mango said. “I met some really good people down here.”

The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office will now handle all emergency calls for citizens in Meigs.

With the police department now closed, Mango and three other officers are now unemployed.

Mango said he held no ill feelings toward the city council members for their 3-2 vote earlier this month to close the department, though he questioned if the city truly did not have the funding to continue operations.

“I’d think before you’d close it you would probably try to seek other avenues, maybe furloughing or possibly laying off (people) before you just close the whole department,” he said, “but that’s something that the council decided to do and it was not my decision to make.”

Mayor Cheryl Walters said the city had been spending more than $200,000 on the police department, or about one third of their entire annual budget.

Mango said he hopes the city will one day reopen the police department. He said crime statistics reflect that a permanent police presence is needed in Meigs.

“They need it for the city and they need it for the citizens of that community,” Mango said.

Walters has said the city may consider reopening the department with a smaller force in six to 12 months if they can save up enough money.