A small city in West Virginia has been thrust into controversy after its whole police power was all of a sudden taken off responsibility, a transfer that got here solely days after the police chief stepped down and has prompted criticism from residents, claims of presidency overreach and requires clearer solutions from native officers.
“Efficient instantly, the whole Barrackville Police Division has been relieved of responsibility by the Mayor and Metropolis Council,” the division stated Tuesday in a submit on Fb.
“We’re sincerely grateful for the assist, belief, and encouragement proven to us by the Barrackville neighborhood all through our service. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve and defend this city.”
Former Barrackville Police Chief Zachary Freeburn. (Barrackville Police Division Fb)
The discover caught many residents off guard and appeared to sign the breakdown of the city’s small police division, simply months after native leaders had praised the hiring of a brand new chief tasked with strengthening and rebuilding the company.
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In December 2025, the division introduced Zachary Freeburn’s appointment as its new full-time chief of police, highlighting his commencement from the West Virginia State Police Academy, his bachelor’s diploma in legal justice and his superior Drug Recognition Professional certification.
“We look ahead to persevering with to rebuild and strengthen our division to higher serve our neighborhood, and we’re excited to as soon as once more have a full-time officer main our company,” the division wrote on the time.
A Barrackville Police Division Ok-9 car is seen in Barrackville, W.Va. The city’s whole police division was relieved of responsibility by the mayor and city council. (Barrackville Police Division Fb)
Lower than seven months later, that effort had unraveled.
Final week, the division introduced that Freeburn had resigned “efficient instantly.” The company stated Sgt. Hunt would function officer in cost whereas assuring residents that police operations would proceed.
“Till additional discover, Sergeant Hunt will function the officer answerable for the Barrackville Police Division to make sure the continued operation of the division,” the division stated, including that questions in regards to the management transition may very well be addressed on the subsequent city council assembly.
A detailed-up of the Barrackville Police Division shoulder patch worn by officers within the Marion County, West Virginia, police company earlier than the division was relieved of responsibility by city officers. (Barrackville Police Division Fb)
As a substitute, the division itself was relieved of responsibility days later.
A letter Freeburn wrote earlier than the division was dismissed presents his account of why he stepped down.
The letter, which was shared with WBOY and supposed to be learn on the July 7 city council assembly earlier than it was canceled, alleges that shortly after the newly elected city council took workplace, he was referred to as right into a closed-door assembly the place he was informed a council member would immediately supervise the police division and implement operational modifications.
Freeburn wrote that he objected as a result of he believed these directives violated West Virginia legislation governing municipal police departments. He stated that when he tried to debate the proposed modifications, he was informed, “If I provide you with a directive you observe it… I’m in cost and what I say goes.”
Former Barrackville Police Chief Zachary Freeburn accepts an award throughout a West Virginia legislation enforcement occasion in 2025. (Barrackville Police Division Fb)
He described the scenario as creating what he believed would change into a hostile work surroundings and stated these considerations finally led him to resign.
Within the letter, Freeburn additionally wrote that one of many largest complaints he heard from residents was a scarcity of transparency at city corridor. He stated he selected to resign so the problems may very well be introduced into the open, expressing hope that residents would lastly obtain “the transparency that they’ve been asking for.”
The letter notes it was written earlier than the announcement that the whole police division had been relieved of responsibility.
Former Barrackville Police Sgt. Hunt, who has been publicly recognized solely by his final title, informed WBOY that he found the police proof room had allegedly been entered when he arrived on the division Tuesday morning.
Hunt alleged city officers had beforehand mentioned conducting a list of the division with out officers current. He additionally claimed that in a gathering with Mayor Tom Straight and members of the city council, Councilmember Alex Neville acknowledged taking a set of police keys.
In line with Hunt, after he accused city officers of getting into the proof room, he and one other officer, who collectively made up the division’s whole sworn power, have been instantly relieved of responsibility. Hunt additionally stated he knowledgeable city officers that he supposed to hunt whistleblower protections.
INC Information has not independently verified Hunt’s allegations.
The controversy seems to have been brewing even earlier than the division was dismissed.
Following Freeburn’s resignation, a Barrackville resident launched a web based petition urging the city council to reinstate him, arguing that he had been “pressured to resign attributable to what many residents consider was pointless overreach by the newly elected City Council.”
The petition calls on city leaders to rethink the circumstances surrounding the resignation, restore public confidence by transparency and reinstate Freeburn as police chief.
“Our Police Chief rapidly earned the belief, respect, and appreciation of our neighborhood by his professionalism, management, integrity, and dedication to maintaining Barrackville protected,” the petition states. “Though his time serving our city was temporary, his influence was plain.”
Organizers additionally urged residents to attend the July 7 city council assembly to voice their considerations. The assembly was later canceled.
In a Fb submit, the Barrackville City Council introduced the assembly had been canceled due to “a scarcity of enough info relating to gadgets listed beneath unfinished enterprise.”
The cancellation has solely fueled questions from residents, lots of whom flooded social media demanding solutions.
An digital signal exterior the City of Barrackville broadcasts a city council assembly. (Barrackville Police Division Fb)
“Time to do some deep background on the town council. The reality is just not being informed,” one commenter wrote beneath the police division’s announcement.
One other resident joked, “Who’s gonna look over the 5 residents in Barrackville now?”
Barrackville, a city of about 1,200 folks in north-central West Virginia, is positioned about 25 miles southwest of Morgantown.
Marion County Sheriff Roger Cunningham beforehand informed WBOY that the sheriff’s workplace will proceed responding to calls in Barrackville, because it routinely does all through Marion County, making certain residents proceed receiving legislation enforcement providers regardless of the city now not having an energetic police division.
City officers haven’t publicly defined why the whole division was relieved of responsibility or responded to the allegations raised by former officers.
INC Information has reached out to the Barrackville Police Division, Straight, members of the Barrackville City Council and the Marion County Sheriff’s Workplace for remark. INC Information has additionally contacted the West Virginia Municipal League searching for clarification on the authority of municipal officers over police division operations beneath state legislation.
