Well, here’s another cautionary tale for what happens when politics, bureaucracy, and local government meddling collide with public safety. The small town of McColl, South Carolina, is now officially without a police department after the entire force, including Chief Bob Hale, handed in their resignations. That’s right—zero cops, zilch, nada. You’d think this was the plot of a dystopian novel, but no, this is small-town America in 2024.
So, what happened? According to Hale’s public statement, the catalyst was an unnamed city council member who, let’s just say, didn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for the police department. Hale described repeated harassment, personal attacks, and a toxic work environment created by this councilman. Adding insult to injury, the council cut funding from an already stretched-thin budget, leaving the police department in the lurch. Requests for modern equipment, training, and adequate staffing? Ignored. It’s like the town was actively trying to sabotage its own law enforcement.
SOUTH CAROLINA The town of McColl, South Carolina, mass resignation of its entire police force, including Police Chief Bob Hale. The resignations were triggered by what Hale described as a hostile work environment created by an unnamed town council member, involving personal… pic.twitter.com/oQcEtwqvqX
— Jungleball2 (@JungleBall_2) November 25, 2024
This isn’t just a story about bruised egos and office politics, though. Hale’s resignation wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment tantrum. He spelled it out clearly: the environment was so hostile, and resources so lacking that the department couldn’t effectively protect the town. For months, he and his officers were stuck defending their own reputations instead of focusing on the safety of McColl’s residents. You know, the job they were actually hired to do.
The Pee Dee town of McColl is without a police force after its chief and all of its officers resigned on Friday.
While the town’s mayor says they’ll have support from the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office, many residents say they’re worried about their safety.@wmbfnews pic.twitter.com/kkM3h49Nn5
— Logan Schiciano (@LoganSchiciano) November 24, 2024
Of course, Mayor George Garner insists there’s no bad blood and seems optimistic that McColl will “continue on.” That’s great, except for the fact that “continuing on” now means relying on the already overstretched Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies to cover emergencies. Local residents, understandably, aren’t thrilled. As one pointed out, in a life-or-death situation, the ten- to fifteen-minute wait for sheriff’s deputies to arrive could mean the difference between survival and tragedy. But don’t worry—the town is accepting applications for a new chief of police! Any takers?
McColl isn’t the only town facing this kind of crisis. Just last October, Geary, Oklahoma, saw its entire police force resign over similar complaints about political interference and lack of support. Spot a pattern? It’s no wonder morale in law enforcement is at rock bottom when officers are forced to navigate not only rising crime but also political landmines from the very leaders who should be supporting them.
Here’s the lesson, McColl: when you defund, devalue, and demoralize your police force, don’t be shocked when they pack up and leave. Good luck finding replacements willing to walk into that mess.
