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."Effective immediately, the entire Barrackville Police Department has been relieved of duty by the Mayor and City Council," the department wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday."We are sincerely grateful for the support, trust, and encouragement shown to us by the Barrackville community throughout our service.It has been an honor and a privilege to serve and protect this town."DC POLICE OFFICIALS FACE TERMINATION AFTER FEDERAL PROBE UNCOVERS ALLEGED MANIPULATED CRIME DATA BY DEPARTMENTFormer Barrackville Police Chief Zachary Freeburn.
(Barrackville Police Department Facebook)The announcement stunned residents and marked the apparent collapse of the small department just months after officials celebrated hiring a new chief to rebuild the agency.Know something we should investigate? [email protected] IG: @fndstephprice X: @StephenyPriceYour tip could lead to our next story.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."We look forward to continuing to rebuild and strengthen our department to better serve our community, and we are excited to once again have a full-time officer leading our agency," the department wrote at the time.CITY MANAGER 'BEGGED' FIRED CINCINNATI POLICE CHIEF FOR MORE OFFICERS ON STREET AS CRIME SKYROCKETEDA Barrackville Police Department K-9 vehicle is seen in Barrackville, W.Va.
The town's entire police department was relieved of duty by the mayor and town council.(Barrackville Police Department Facebook)Less than seven months later, that...