The tiny West Virginia town of Barrackville has effectively abolished its police department after the mayor and town council dismissed both officers on Tuesday, following a dispute over an alleged break-in at the department’s evidence room.
According to a Facebook post from the Barrackville Police Department, all members—which amounted to just two officers—were relieved of duty immediately by Mayor Tom Straight and the town council. The move comes less than a week after Police Chief Zachary Freeburn resigned, citing ongoing clashes with the council over what he described as overreach.
Former Sergeant Hunt told local news outlet WBOY that when he arrived Tuesday morning, he discovered someone had forced entry into the evidence room. Hunt then convened a meeting with Straight and the council, noting that the council had previously expressed a desire to inventory the department without officers present. During that meeting, Councilmember Alex Neville admitted to taking a set of police keys, Hunt said.
When Hunt alleged that members of the town government were responsible for the evidence room breach, he and the remaining officer were immediately placed on inactive status. The department’s police clerk also resigned. Hunt informed the mayor and council that he would be claiming whistleblower protection under state law.
The timing of the dismissal is notable given that the council had canceled a scheduled Tuesday night meeting, citing a lack of sufficient information on unfinished business. A notice posted on the town hall door and shared on Facebook Monday night offered no further explanation.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide law enforcement coverage to Barrackville, as it already does for other areas of the county. Sheriff Roger Cunningham confirmed that his deputies will respond to calls in the town as they always have.
Efforts by WBOY to reach Mayor Straight or council members for comment were unsuccessful; phone calls and visits to town hall went unanswered.
Former Chief Freeburn, who resigned last week, provided a letter he had prepared for the canceled council meeting. In it, he detailed his frustrations with council interference and questioned the legality of the evidence room incident. The letter was shared with WBOY but has not been formally read at any public meeting.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions in small-town policing, where limited resources and close-knit governance can lead to rapid escalations. It also echoes broader national debates about police accountability and decertification, though Barrackville’s case involves a complete disbandment rather than individual discipline.
