A large jury of Alabama wants to “immediately” abolish a local police department when an investigation found an “unbridled culture of corruption” in his ranks after the death of one of his dispatchers.
Eighteen grand jury members found the Hanceville Police Department a “specific and continuous threat to public safety,” said Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker during a press conference On Wednesday.
“There is an unbridled culture of corruption in the Hanceville Police Department, which has recently operated as a criminal company than a law enforcement agency,” said Crocker.
The jury members said they have “zero trust” in the wealth of the department to operate.
Hanceville Police Chief Jason Marlin, Officers Cody Alan Kelso, Drew Shelnut, Jason Wilbanks, reserve officer Eric Michael Kelso, and his wife, Donna Kelso, were arrested and charged after research into the department, Al.com reported.
The investigation was started after Hanceville coordinator Christopher Michael Willingham, 49, died on August 23, 2024, from a toxic combination of toxic medicines at work.
The death of Willingham was determined as “the direct result of the negligence of the Hanceville police, lack of procedure, general incompetence and contempt for human life,” said Crocker.
“Nothing was safe in the evidence room. And when Mr. Willingham was discovered, there were evidence in his office, “said Crocker.
Crocker revealed photos of a huge gap in the wall that led to the evidence room and said that a broom was repeatedly used to keep the door open.
“Criminal evidence must be protected to have that proof of prosecution and to guarantee the correct process,” he said. “This evidence room was anything but safe.”
The autopsy report of a medical researcher showed that the coordinator “fentanyl, gabapentine, diazepam, amphetamine, carisoprodol and methocarbamol in his system when he died.
“Like many other people,” Willingham gained access to the evidence chamber and he may have been exposed to fentanyl because the deadly medicine was not kept in a safe place, the DA said.
The officers are not accused of the death of the coordinator.
The large jury said that the department “could not explain, retain and retain, and thus make victims of crime and the public in general”, making the evidence ‘unusable’.
Crocker revealed that Marlin, who was appointed chef in March, was accused of two counts of failure to report ethical crimes and to mess with physical evidence.
Officers Cody Alan Kelso and Wilbanks were accused of messing with computer, messing with physical evidence, conspiracy to commit regulated substance crime and use an official position for personal gain.
Shelnutt was accused of messing with physical evidence.
Eric and Donna Kelso were accused of illegal distribution of a regulated substance and conspiracy to distribute a regulated substance illegally, said Crocker.
They all surrendered to the prison of Cullman County on Wednesday and have already been released by Bond.
After the arrests, the offices of the Sheriff of Cullman County will deal with law enforcement issues for the city, which has a population of around 3,000.
“This is a sad day for law enforcement and at the same time it is a good day before the rule of law,” said Crocker.
Mayor Jim Sawyer van Hanceville said that he and the city council “will consider all recommendations carefully and will act quickly and decisively to tackle the problems within the police department” and “will open and implement the necessary corrective actions openly and aggressively.”
“We are deeply regretted by the negative impact that this situation has had on our community and the hard -working employees of our city,” he said in a rack.
“It’s a shame that the actions of a few have affected the good name of our city.”
