CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Some Charleston City council members still want something more to be done about past instances and now new allegations that circle around Charleston policeman Tyke Hunt, formerly the Chief of Police.
Council met Monday evening and wrapped up the meeting with more discussions about the situation regarding Hunt, who is currently on medical leave following surgery.
According to council member Shannon Snodgrass, the newest allegations come from a woman who used to be an officer with the department. The former officer, who Snodgrass said was 20 at the time of applying to join the department, also dropped her allegations about various encounters with Hunt over a podcast, doing so last week.
The woman, Chelsea McCoy, alleged that she was hired onto the department entirely because of Hunt, who was a Sergeant at the time. Snodgrass said the two developed a relationship and Hunt helped McCoy pass a polygraph test that he administered to her after she mentioned the likelihood of not passing due to past drug use. The relationship involved sexual encounters over the phone and in the room where the polygraph test was taken.
Snodgrass, again, called for a “further investigation.”
“What occurred within this city’s police department is quite honestly gross and disgusting,” Snodgrass said Monday evening.
Council member Jeanine Faegre argued that Snodgrass was out of order during Monday’s meeting for bringing the situation back up again before council.
“This has nothing to do with what’s on the agenda, this was addressed in the last city council meeting, and this just adds fuel to the fire,” Faegre said.
Council member Faegre called for an executive session to take place regarding the topic of discussion.
Hunt has since resigned as Chief of Police. He did so last week after sending a letter to Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. He cited both health and personal reasons as to why he opted to step down. Goodwin confirmed Hunt’s resignation Friday, August 18.
Goodwin has chosen Deputy Chief Scott Dempsey to serve as interim chief for the time being.
When Hunt does return to the department, he’ll take on the rank of lieutenant.
Hunt’s resignation comes after it was revealed through a podcast that he had invited another woman, Jennifer Harless, to his office at city hall after-hours last year. Mayor Goodwin disciplined Hunt last year with a three-day suspension without pay.
Snodgrass said that the discipline handed down to Hunt was not made public or brought to the attention of local officials until public comments were made by Harless that Hunt had a prior relationship with, on the “Scoop Squad” podcast in June.
Hunt called his decision “a lapse in personal judgement.”
During the council’s meeting on August 7, some council members backed a resolution to have an outside police agency conduct an investigation into the 2022 incident, but it was voted down.
City council member Shannon Snodgrass said not enough was done by the city in their investigation.
“I hope somebody with another agency will step in and take control of this situation,” Snodgrass said a few weeks ago. “This is ridiculous and not right to have separate standards.”