The recent controversy in Barrackville, West Virginia, has left the town's residents questioning the actions of their town officials. A former police chief, who resigned after expressing concerns about a hostile work environment, has alleged that town officials may have entered the police evidence room without officers present.
The allegations were made by former Barrackville Police Sgt. Hunt, who discovered the evidence room had allegedly been entered when he arrived at the department. He claimed that town officials had previously discussed conducting an inventory of the department without officers present. During a meeting with Mayor Tom Straight and members of the town council, Councilmember Alex Neville allegedly acknowledged taking a set of police keys.
Hunt and another officer, who together made up the department's entire sworn force, were immediately relieved of duty after he accused town officials of entering the evidence room. Hunt informed town officials that he intended to seek whistleblower protections. However, the town officials have not publicly responded to the allegations or explained why the entire police department was relieved of duty.
The controversy appears to have been brewing even before the department was dismissed. Following the former police chief's resignation, a Barrackville resident launched an online petition urging the town council to reinstate him and restore public confidence through transparency. Organizers urged residents to attend the July 7 town council meeting to voice their concerns, but the meeting was later canceled.
The cancellation has only fueled questions from residents, many of whom flooded social media demanding answers. The town of Barrackville, which has a population of about 1,200 people, is located about 25 miles southwest of Morgantown. The Marion County Sheriff's Office will continue to respond to calls in Barrackville, ensuring residents continue receiving law enforcement services despite the town no longer having an active police department.
The situation has raised concerns about the authority of municipal officials over police department operations under state law. The West Virginia Municipal League has been contacted seeking clarification on this issue. However, the town officials have not publicly addressed these concerns or provided any explanation for their actions.
