Entire police department relieved of duty in West Virginia town

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BARRACKVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY) — A small West Virginia town has lost its entire police department.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Barrackville Police Department announced that, effective immediately, every member of the department has been relieved of duty by the Barrackville Town Council and the mayor.

The entire police department at the time consisted of just two officers.

One of the officers, former Barrackville Police Sgt. Hunt told Nexstar’s WBOY that after arriving at the department Tuesday morning, he found that someone had broken into the evidence room.

Hunt then called a meeting with Mayor Tom Straight and the Barrackville Town Council to discuss the situation, noting that the council previously mentioned a desire to inventory the department without any officers present.

Councilmember Alex Neville also confessed to taking a set of police keys, Hunt said.

Hunt said that when he alleged that members of the town’s government broke into the evidence room, he and the other officer on staff were immediately placed on inactive status.

Hunt added that the police clerk also quit. Hunt informed the mayor and council that he would be claiming whistleblower status.

This move comes less than a week after Barrackville Police Chief Zachary Freeburn resigned from his position due to disputes with the town council about overreach, according to Hunt.

The Barrackville Town Council was originally scheduled to meet on Tuesday night. However, a Facebook post made Monday night announced that the meeting was canceled due to “a lack of sufficient information regarding items listed under ‘unfinished business.'” This notice was also posted on the front door of town hall.

Attempts by WBOY to reach government officials either by phone or in person at town hall have been unsuccessful.

Marion County Sheriff Roger Cunningham told WBOY that while it has always done so, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department will continue to respond to Barrackville as it would anywhere else it is called to in Marion County.

Nexstar’s WBOY was also contacted by former Barrackville Police Chief Zachary Freeburn, who shared a letter that he wrote for the town council’s Tuesday night meeting. That letter can be read below:

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