Turmoil has descended on a small South Carolina town after its police chief and all four officers have resigned.
McColl, with a population of about 2,000 residents near the state line with North Carolina, people, has had six police chiefs in the past four years, according to the Post and Courier.
McColl Mayor George Garner said Police Chief Bob Hale left first, followed by the rest of the force in a drama that played out through the month, according to WMBF-TV.
Garner said a resignation letter submitted by Hale made no mention of troubles, but that’s not what Hale said in a statement on Facebook.
“My personal decision to step away from the McColl Police Department can be attributed to repeated acts of harassment, personal attacks on my character, and the overall creation of a hostile work environment perpetuated by a specific Councilman,” he wrote.
“For months, I have endured unwarranted and malicious behavior aimed at undermining my integrity and leadership,” he wrote, saying the attacks “created a toxic atmosphere that has hindered the department’s ability to function effectively.”
“Despite our efforts to address these issues professionally and through appropriate channels, the harassment and hostility have persisted,” he wrote.
Hale said the actions of one councilman, who he did not name, “have made it impossible to fulfill this mission without compromising our principles and well-being.”
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Hale wrote that the attacks against him and his department “were strategically used to inhibit the continued growth and success of the department.
“A significant amount of money was cut from our already depleted budget by the same Councilman upon his arrival to his elected position. Despite repeated appeals for funding to modernize equipment, enhance training, and increase staffing levels to meet the needs of our community, those critical needs went unmet,” he wrote.
Hale said that instead of fighting crime, “ the majority of my tenure as Chief of Police was spent clearing the names of my officers as well as myself, from the numerous falsehoods that were made against us.“
“This decision to resign was not made lightly, and I deeply regret the impact it may have on the community we have dedicated ourselves to serving. However, I believe that stepping away is the only way to shed light on the severity of these issues and call for accountability and change,” he wrote.
Former McColl Investigator Courtney Bulusan said enough was enough.
“At the end of the day, I have a family. And when my job is constantly getting threatened and certain things are getting said I’m not going to stay somewhere and tolerate that,” she said, according to WMBF-TV.
“I’m not going to stay where I’m tolerated,” Bulusan said. “I’m going to go where I’m celebrated.”
Bulusan added that the department’s vehicles were in bad shape.
“I was on my way to a call when that one just stopped working. We need cars,” Bulusan said.
Garner told WMBF that he would work with state officials and nearby communities for police protection until a new police force can be hired.
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