Entire Police Force Of Indiana Town Quits At Same Time

#1

The town of Bunker Hill, Indiana found itself without a police force after every officer, including the Town Marshal, walked off the job. What could make an entire police force quit en masse? In this case, the officers blame the town's council.

#2

The sign, posted on the glass window of the police department, reads: "The Town is currently without the Police Department. In the case of an emergency, please call 911." It seems like a prop from a dystopian film portraying a post-apocalyptic world, but it isn't. It's an actual sign from Bunker Hill Indiana.

#3

They're not a large force, but after former Town Marshal Michael Thomison and four reserve deputies submitted their resignations, the town finds itself without a force altogether, and the town's council can only look in the mirror.

#4

"We have had issues with the town board, and there are some activities there where I felt like they were serving their own agenda," former Bunker Hill town marshal Michael Thomison told WXIN.

In a statement released Wednesday and obtained by WTTV, the Bunker Hill Town Council expressed surprise.

"The resignation of the entire police force has come as a shock to the council," it read. "It has never been the goal to dismantle or otherwise endanger the town police department or officers."

#5

Some of their grievances were of a familiar variety complaints about financial cuts to the department.

"They would not communicate with us or the officers, and they kept scaling back," said Thomison, a four-year member of the force.

He later told BuzzFeed News: "We can't make this up. They were just not receptive to having a police department."

#6

According to the Kokomo Tribune, the officers had finally had enough after years of mismanagement and repeated requests to "be involved in illegal, unethical and immoral things over time." Bunker Hill councilors reportedly asked Marshal Thomison and his deputies to conduct criminal background checks on other council members and requested confidential information. "I have had to educate them on the things they were asking from me and explained that I would not take part in any of these actions," Thomison said.

#7

They claimed the councilors would threaten them and sometimes follow through on these threats.

"None of us wanted to quit," Joshua Graham, one of the reserve officers who resigned, told BuzzFeed News. "They just basically did whatever they wanted to do, whether it's by the law or not."

#8

Thomison told BuzzFeed News, for example, that after one officer pursued a drunk driver, which required breaking the speed limit, the officer was written up for "speeding." Thomison alleged that the reason was because the officer had previously pulled over a council member's wife.

Troy Gornto, another former officer, told BuzzFeed News he was also written up after stopping a council member whose car had a malfunctioning tailgate. His citation was for "abusing town equipment" after pulling the member over. The complaint stated he "took off quickly."

"It just bothered me because I knew his complaint was unfounded," he told BuzzFeed News.

#9

The town council also denied this in its statement.

"The council absolutely denies that it has ever asked Mr. Thomison or any of the reserve deputies to be involved in any illegal, unethical or immoral actions," it read.

#10

Safety was also a big concern as the officers had to share one set of body armor between them, putting them at risk during arrests and when serving warrants. "I did not want to send someone out there with bad body armor so I would take mine off and provide it to the other officers. I told them we have to provide this, there is an IC code that explains that and says that the town has to provide that body armor," said Thomison.

#11

The town council, though, denied leaving the force with only one set of armor. In the statement, it wrote:

The current town council, as well as prior councils, have, on occasion, had disagreements with Mr. Thomison over a number of things. These disagreements have primarily been caused by the lack of funding available to the town to invest in the police department. However, the council denies that it has failed to provide body armor for the marshal or reserve deputies.

#12

Finally, Thomison said after he was diagnosed with cancer, he had to take time off from the force. Upon his return, he was allegedly told to work 29.75 hours a week. The town is required to provide benefits to those who work 30 hours per week.

#13

Thomison says this was a purely financial decision. "They came at me and said it is costing the town way too much money because of my insurance and they said we are taking you down to part-time," he said. He told the Kokomo Tribune that he didn't want to step down, "but the longer I stay there, the harder it is to get anything done. It's time to step away and do something else."

#14

In a statement, town officials said they are assembling a new police force.

"Bunker Hill is in the process of obtaining a new marshal and reserve deputies. The council asks for patience from the town residents in this process," it read.

#15

In addition to the police force, the town's building commissioner and the council's vice-president also stepped down.

While the council grapples with its problems, the county will take over policing duties, patrolling the roads and responding to calls. "I know that they are scrambling and have contacted some other officers that do not want the position," said Thomison.

#16

Meanwhile, another bizarre story involving the law was unfolding in the neighboring town of Kokomo, less than 15 miles south of Bunker Hill. On Monday, the town legalized the arcade game pinball, which had been illegal there for 61 years.

#17

Check out the news report for a more in-depth look.