MONROE COUNTY, W.Va. — The Monroe County Commission opted to postpone their vote on the potential removal of Monroe County Sheriff Jeff Jones and his chief deputy James Hylton during their meeting Wednesday.
Jones and Hylton were under investigation for several reported instances of not fulfilling their roles. The resolution drafted by County Clerk Jeremy Meadows and Prosecuting Attorney Justin St. Clair states that the commission is seeking Sheriff Jones to be removed for “incompetence or neglect of duty.”
Some of the examples given in the resolution said that Jones had “failed to adhere to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department policy concerning the collection, preservation, and security of evidence.”
The resolution also claimed that Jones and Hylton did not demonstrate proper investigative techniques, and that the two failed to terminate a fellow officer who had committed criminal conduct.
The commission’s vote was 3-0 to halt the vote until an investigation conducted by the West Virginia State Police is finished.