HANCEVILLE — In the wake of the arrests of the police chief and four officers, the Hanceville Police Department has been placed on administrative leave, Mayor Jim Sawyer announced Thursday.
Sawyer said the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office will temporarily take over over law enforcement duties.
The Hanceville City Council will meet Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. in City Hall, he said, to discuss the future of the department, which has just three active officers from the eight-person force.
“The meeting will discuss and address the future of the Hanceville Police Department and other potential actions regarding the same,” Sawyer said in a statement.
A Cullman County grand jury indicted Police Chief Jason Marlin and Officers Cody Kels, Drew Shelnutt, Jason Wilbanks and Eric Kelso, and his wife, Donna Kelso.
They have been charged with a variety of offenses, including misuse of state criminal databases and distribution of controlled substances to each other – including anabolic steroids, according to the indictments.
The investigation began after police dispatcher Christopher Willingham was found dead in his office last August.
