VALENTINE, Neb. - Valentine may soon have an officer focused on code enforcement, building permits, and animal control. During Thursday night’s city council meeting, City Manager Shane Siewert shared discussions with the police department about creating a role dedicated to these responsibilities.

Siewert noted that finding someone for this position could be easier than recruiting a traditional police officer, a challenge the city, as well as many other towns across the nation, has faced in recent years. Currently, Valentine’s police department has six authorized positions, but only four are filled.

City Council President Kyle Arganbright expressed support for the idea, saying, “I also like the idea of an officer without a gun going up to someone to talk to them about their grass.”

The council did not make any motions or decisions on the issue during the meeting.