By KRWG News
Columbus, NM – The Luna County Sheriff's Office has formally agreed to provide law enforcement coverage for the small New Mexico border village of Columbus.
County officials had shut down the village's three-member police department earlier this month as part of an effort to stabilize its budget.
The former mayor and two other village officials have been accused of helping smuggle hundreds of gun into the Mexico.
The Deming Headlight reports that the deal for the sheriff's office to patrol the village calls for a deputy to be in the village during regular business hours on weekdays.
Patrols will be coordinated for other hours.
The agreement ends in Dec. 2014, but can be canceled by either party.
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Information from: Headlight, http://www.demingheadlight.com
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.