Hanceville City Council votes to suspend, rebuild police department

Hanceville City Council votes to suspend, rebuild police department 'from the ground up'

ORDER IS LIFTED. TIME TO START OVER. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. I’M BRITTANY DECKER AND I’M SHERI FALK. THAT’S THE LATEST DECISION REGARDING THE FUTURE OF THE HANCEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. LOOKS LIKE THEY’RE HITTING THE RESET BUTTON. �� BRYCE OSELEN SPOKE WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT THIS DECISION. BRYCE, WHAT ARE CITY LEADERS SAYING ABOUT THIS? YEAH, THE HANCEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS HAD ITS FAIR SHARE OF TROUBLE THESE DAYS. CITY LEADERS SAY PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE PROTECTED BY A DEPARTMENT WHO HAS ITS BEST INTEREST AT THE HANCEVILLE IS A GREAT PLACE. GREAT PEOPLE. THEY DESERVE BETTER FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. HANCEVILLE CITY COUNCIL SAYS OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW. SO WE’RE GOING TO GET THEM BETTER. HOPEFULLY. THE CITY COUNCIL VOTING TO SUSPEND AND REBUILD THEIR ENTIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE GROUND UP. THIS COMES AFTER SCANDALS AND MULTIPLE OFFICERS WHO WERE ARRESTED FOR FELONY CHARGES. ALL OF US WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD, NOT CONTINUE THE SAME PROCESS. YOU KNOW, LIKE ONE INDIVIDUAL SAID, INSANITY DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT. WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD. WE WANTED TO GET SOMETHING ESTABLISHED AND GO FORWARD WITH IT. THE HANCEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AVERAGES NEARLY 8000 CALLS A YEAR. THIS IS WHAT THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL EXPRESSED TO ME, IS WE KNOW WE’RE IN A TOUGH TIME, BUT WE DON’T WANT OUR CITIZENS TO MISS ONE OUNCE OF ANYTHING. AS FAR AS BEING PROTECTED. DEPUTIES FROM THE COLEMAN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE STEPPING IN TO ESTABLISH LAW AND ORDER AS THE DEPARTMENT REBUILDS. SO WHEN THIS COMES DOWN, WE KNEW THAT HANCEVILLE WAS GOING TO BE IN A PROCESS OF HURT, ANGER, REBUILDING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL CAN DO THAT’S GOING TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS. THE CITY WILL OPERATE WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING DEPARTMENT UNTIL ROLES ARE FILLED. LET’S PUT OFF ANYTHING THAT Y’ALL REIMBURSE US FOR A LITTLE BIT AND LET Y’ALL HIRE A CHIEF. THAT WAY, THEY CAN GET A CHIEF HIRED. AND THEN THE NEW CHIEF. THEN THEY CAN START THE REBUILDING PROCESS AND REINTERVIEWING OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU HAVE NOW, IT WOULD BE UP TO THE NEW CHIEF, WHETHER THEY KEEP OR NOT. CITY COUNCIL SAYS DUE TO RECENT EVENTS, THEY’RE GOING TO THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE HIRING THEIR NEW CHIEF. THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT’S NOT GOING TO BE QUICK, AND WE JUST FIND SOMEONE THAT WE ACTUALLY BRING SOMEONE IN THAT’S GOING TO BUILD FROM THE GROUND UP AND BRING INTEGRITY BACK, AND THAT CAN PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. AND WE CAN BE PROUD TO BE CALLED OUR HANCEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND WHAT? THE NEW CHIEF WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING ALL DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES. LI

Hanceville City Council votes to suspend, rebuild police department 'from the ground up'

The City of Hanceville will retain a police department �� just not the one that it has now.During another hectic meeting on Monday, the City Council voted to suspend "the department as know it" and begin the search for a new chief of police who would rebuild "from the ground up."The new chief would be responsible for hiring officers and dispatchers; all department employees who are currently suspended would need to be re-interviewed and re-hired.The Cullman County Sheriff's Office will continue to shoulder law enforcement responsibilities for at least a month while the city begins the search for a chief, according to Sheriff Matt Gentry.Gentry suggested that the money the city saves by not paying for his office's services could be used to take care of the department's suspended employees for the next month while they wait to find out if they'll be re-hired.This follows a temporary takeover of law enforcement responsibilities in the area by the sheriff's office after a grand jury called for the department's immediate abolishment.The grand jury found the department to be a "particular and ongoing threat to public safety" based on the findings of a recent investigation from the State Bureau of Investigation."There is a rampant culture of corruption in the Hanceville Police Department, which has recently operated as more of a criminal enterprise than a law enforcement agency," read court documents obtained by �� 13.Other findings included:The negligence of the Hanceville Police Department directly resulted in the recent death of local dispatcher Chris WillinghamIt was determined that Willingham died from “combined toxic effects of fentanyl, gabapentin, diazepam, amphetamine, carisoprodol, and methocarbamol��"Unfettered" access to the HPD evidence room played a role in Willingham's deathNo officers have been charged in connection to Willingham's deathHanceville police failed to account for, preserve and maintain evidence that is now unusableThe evidence room at the Hanceville Police Department was not secure and was routinely accessed by individuals who were not authorized to do so.Perpetrators routinely used a broomstick to jimmy open the door by pushing it through a hole in the evidence room's exterior wallSecurity footage repeatedly captured these eventsVarious drugs and at least one handgun were listed as missing following an audit of the evidence room.Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker released the following data Monday which, according to State Bureau of Investigation Agent Jamie King, represents an approximate weight/count of the missing substances:Methamphetamine - 216 gramsCocaine - 1.5 gramsOxycodone pills - 67Adderall pills - 4Heroin - 0.5 gramsClonazepam pills - 4Gabapentin pills - 39Tizanidine (muscle relaxer) - 5Methocarbamol (muscle relaxer) - 5Suboxone strip - 1Firearms - One .25 caliber handgunKing noted, however, that these numbers are only based on the "item description" on each evidence envelope, several of which were not fully filled out. Further items of unknown weight are missing.Additionally, 30 undocumented firearms were discovered.Hanceville police have failed to maintain the Hanceville Jail and meet the basic health and safety concerns of both inmates and staffCurrent inmates may be transferred to the Cullman County JailThe arrests of several Hanceville police officers and one of their spouses, all of whom were charged with felonies, were also announced. "These defendants find themselves on the opposite end of the laws they were sworn to uphold," read a statement from the district attorney's office. "Wearing a badge is a privilege and honor that most law enforcement officers take seriously. A badge is not a license to corrupt the administration of justice. These Hanceville Police officers' actions undermine the hard work of the entire law enforcement community across our great state." This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the �� 13 app. You can download it here.

The City of Hanceville will retain a police department �� just not the one that it has now.

During another hectic meeting on Monday, the City Council voted to suspend "the department as [they] know it" and begin the search for a new chief of police who would rebuild "from the ground up."

The new chief would be responsible for hiring officers and dispatchers; all department employees who are currently suspended would need to be re-interviewed and re-hired.

The Cullman County Sheriff's Office will continue to shoulder law enforcement responsibilities for at least a month while the city begins the search for a chief, according to Sheriff Matt Gentry.

Gentry suggested that the money the city saves by not paying for his office's services could be used to take care of the department's suspended employees for the next month while they wait to find out if they'll be re-hired.

This follows a temporary takeover of law enforcement responsibilities in the area by the sheriff's office after a grand jury called for the department's immediate abolishment.

The grand jury found the department to be a "particular and ongoing threat to public safety" based on the findings of a recent investigation from the State Bureau of Investigation.

"There is a rampant culture of corruption in the Hanceville Police Department, which has recently operated as more of a criminal enterprise than a law enforcement agency," read court documents obtained by �� 13.

Other findings included:

The negligence of the Hanceville Police Department directly resulted in the recent death of local dispatcher Chris Willingham

It was determined that Willingham died from “combined toxic effects of fentanyl, gabapentin, diazepam, amphetamine, carisoprodol, and methocarbamol��
"Unfettered" access to the HPD evidence room played a role in Willingham's death
No officers have been charged in connection to Willingham's death

Hanceville police failed to account for, preserve and maintain evidence that is now unusable

Hanceville Police Department evidence room surveillance

Cullman County District Attorney's Office

The evidence room at the Hanceville Police Department was not secure and was routinely accessed by individuals who were not authorized to do so.
Perpetrators routinely used a broomstick to jimmy open the door by pushing it through a hole in the evidence room's exterior wall
Security footage repeatedly captured these events

Various drugs and at least one handgun were listed as missing following an audit of the evidence room.

Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker released the following data Monday which, according to State Bureau of Investigation Agent Jamie King, represents an approximate weight/count of the missing substances:

Methamphetamine - 216 grams
Cocaine - 1.5 grams
Oxycodone pills - 67
Adderall pills - 4
Heroin - 0.5 grams
Clonazepam pills - 4
Gabapentin pills - 39
Tizanidine (muscle relaxer) - 5
Methocarbamol (muscle relaxer) - 5
Suboxone strip - 1
Firearms - One .25 caliber handgun

King noted, however, that these numbers are only based on the "item description" on each evidence envelope, several of which were not fully filled out. Further items of unknown weight are missing.

Additionally, 30 undocumented firearms were discovered.

Hanceville police have failed to maintain the Hanceville Jail and meet the basic health and safety concerns of both inmates and staff

Current inmates may be transferred to the Cullman County Jail

The arrests of several Hanceville police officers and one of their spouses, all of whom were charged with felonies, were also announced.

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"These defendants find themselves on the opposite end of the laws they were sworn to uphold," read a statement from the district attorney's office. "Wearing a badge is a privilege and honor that most law enforcement officers take seriously. A badge is not a license to corrupt the administration of justice. These Hanceville Police officers' actions undermine the hard work of the entire law enforcement community across our great state."

This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the �� 13 app. You can download it here.

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