Residents of a tiny Missouri city say they have no idea why five of their six police officers and several other top officials resigned after their first black mayor was elected . Tyrus Byrd , 40 , was sworn into office in Parma last week , but her election victory was overshadowed by the departure of the majority of the police force , the city attorney , clerk and water treatment supervisor . The officials all cited 'safety concerns ' in their resignation letters , the outgoing mayor says . There are 713 people living in the community and , according to the US Census Bureau , 57percent are white and 41percent are black . Unwelcome change : Tyrus Byrd , who was sworn in as mayor last week , must find replacements for five of the city 's six police officers , the city attorney , the city clerk and the water treatment supervisor . Mrs Byrd , who was sworn in last Wednesday , told Daily Mail Online she still does n't know why the employees quit - though the outgoing mayor says they cited 'safety concerns ' in their resignations . Mrs Byrd , who was sworn in on Wednesday , told the Daily Mail Online on Sunday that she is still not sure why the city employees quit . Her father , former city board member Simon Wofford , insists his daughter has a good relationship with the police department . KFVS-TV broke the story last week . Citizens rallied to Mrs Bryd 's side , saying that the town did n't even need as many officers as it had . ' I think it was pretty dirty the way they all quit without giving her a chance , but I do n't think they hurt the town with quitting because who needs six police for 740 people ? ' resident Martha Miller told KFVS . The run-down city , which is 175 miles south of St. Louis in southeastern Missouri , has suffered a spate of break-ins recently . Despite the surge in crime and the comparatively large police force , residents told the TV station that they almost never saw cops patrolling the streets . Mrs Byrd told Daily Mail Online that the election of the first African American mayor should be celebrated instead of focusing on the departures of city employees . Randall Ramsey , the outgoing mayor who has spent 36 years in the job , told the Daily Mail Online he also has no idea why the group quit . Tyrus Byrd ( right ) was sworn into office in Parma last week , but her election victory was overshadowed by the reported departure of the majority of the police force , the city 's attorney , clerk and water treatment supervisor . Randall Ramsey , ( pictured center with a past City Board ) the outgoing mayor who has spent 36 years in the job over two terms , told the Daily Mail Online he has no idea why the group quit . The new mayor 's father Simon Wofford ( far right ) , who was defeated in the election for his seat , says she had a good relationship with the force . He added that most of the officers are part time and work for other towns in the surrounding area . He told KFVS that the officers cited 'safety concerns ' when they resigned . Barry Aycock , who has served as an alderman , told the Daily Mail Online the election and the consequences are the same as usual and he hardly sees the police out on patrol . He added there is little crime in the city , aside from a spate or burglaries in recent weeks . There are around 700 people living in the community ( Broad Street pictured ) and , according to a 2010 US Census Bureau , 57 per cent are white and 41 per cent are black .
Tyrus Byrd was elected into office in the small city of Parma recent weeks . Five of the six cops in the city reportedly handed in their resignation . The city 's attorney , clerk and water treatment supervisor also quit . All employees cited 'safety concerns ' in their resignation letters ' Mrs Byrd and the outgoing mayor Randall Ramsey insist they do not know why they decided to leave .