A tiny West Virginia town is at the center of a growing controversy after its entire police department was abruptly relieved of duty just days after its police chief resigned, sparking public backlash, allegations of government overreach and growing demands for transparency.
Background
In December 2025, the department announced Zachary Freeburn’s appointment as its new full-time chief of police, highlighting his graduation from the West Virginia State Police Academy, his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and his advanced Drug Recognition Expert certification.
Less than seven months later, that effort had unraveled. Last week, the department announced that Freeburn had resigned “effective immediately.” The agency said Sgt. Hunt would serve as officer in charge while assuring residents that police operations would continue.
Allegations and Controversy
A letter Freeburn wrote before the department was dismissed offers his account of why he stepped down. The letter alleges that shortly after the newly elected town council took office, he was called into a closed-door meeting where he was told a council member would directly supervise the police department and implement operational changes.
Freeburn wrote that he objected because he believed those directives violated West Virginia law governing municipal police departments. He said that when he attempted to discuss the proposed changes, he was told, “If I give you a directive you follow it… I am in charge and what I say goes.”
Former Barrackville Police Sgt. Hunt, who has been publicly identified only by his last name, told WBOY that he discovered the police evidence room had allegedly been entered when he arrived at the department Tuesday morning.
Hunt alleged town officials had previously discussed conducting an inventory of the department without officers present. He also claimed that during a meeting with Mayor Tom Straight and members of the town council, Councilmember Alex Neville acknowledged taking a set of police keys.
Aftermath
The controversy appears to have been brewing even before the department was dismissed. Following Freeburn’s resignation, a Barrackville resident launched an online petition urging the town council to reinstate him, arguing that he had been “forced to resign due to what many residents believe was unnecessary overreach by the newly elected Town Council.”
The petition calls on town leaders to reconsider the circumstances surrounding the resignation, restore public confidence through transparency and reinstate Freeburn as police chief.
Marion County Sheriff Roger Cunningham previously told WBOY that the sheriff’s office will continue responding to calls in Barrackville, as it routinely does throughout Marion County, ensuring residents continue receiving law enforcement services despite the town no longer having an active police department.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
