A South Carolina community is without a police force after the entire department resigned, including the police chief.
On Friday, McColl Mayor George Garner confirmed that the town no longer has a police presence and told WMBF News that the community is “in a critical situation.”
“We are working hard to hire a police chief and other officers,” Mayor Garner said.
Garner said the police chief, Bob Hale, was the first to resign and other officers followed suit.
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A South Carolina community is without a police force after several resignations, including the police chief.
In a public post on Facebook, Hale said her resignation was the result of repeated harassment and personal attacks and a “hostile workplace” by an unnamed council member.
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“It is with a heavy heart that I agree to resign as Chief of Police for the McColl Police Department along with my four colleagues,” Hale wrote. “My decision to leave 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 one Councilman.”
Mr. Hale also says that the actions of this unnamed councilor have made the department unable to function properly.
“For months, I endured inappropriate and hostile behavior aimed at undermining my integrity and leadership,” Hale continued. “These actions have not only affected me personally, but they have brought poison that has prevented the department from doing its job properly. Despite our efforts to solve these issues professionally and using appropriate methods, harassment and hatred have continued.”
In his words, Mr. Hale also says that money has been removed from the budget of the police department and some of the demands of the police are not being met.
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Hale said the decision to resign was not taken lightly, and he deeply regrets the impact it may have had on the community they volunteered to serve.
“I believe that standing up is the only way to shed light on the severity of these issues and call for accountability and change. I remain hopeful that the City of McColl will come together to address these issues, prioritize ethical leadership, and create an environment where those in public service can do their jobs without interference and hatred,” Hale wrote.
A McColl resident told WMBF that since the town does not have a police department, he is concerned that residents may be at risk.
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The town of McColl does not have a single police officer on duty, as all the police officers, including the chief, have resigned.
“Say if someone gets stabbed or shot or whatever – without the police, they should leave the sheriff’s office in Bennettsville,” said McColl resident William Groom. “We’re talking 10 or 15 minutes and someone could be gone in that time. Without police enforcement, it’s definitely a bad situation.”
Despite Hales’ claims, Garner told WMBF that Hale wasn’t leaving town on bad behavior.
“I hate to see them go. They were a great team. But we’ll move on,” Garner said.
Garner added that he has asked the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office and other nearby agencies to help close down the town at this time. He also enlisted the help of the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division for additional assistance.
The McColl Police Department is now accepting applications for Chief of Police and Garner said applications can be picked up at McColl Town hall.
Back in October, another community experienced a similar situation as the town of McColl.
The entire Geary Police Department in Oklahoma, including its police chief, has resigned saying that political leaders have failed to meet the needs of the police department.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Garner but did not immediately receive a response.
Source of article: An entire police department resigns leaving a South Carolina community without law enforcement