The City of Charleston recently announced that former Police Chief Tyke Hunt has been suspended and demoted from lieutenant to corporal. The action follows an internal investigation into allegations that Hunt ensured a woman applying to the force passed a polygraph test in return for sex.
Chelsea McCoy has sued Hunt, and she said in an interview with WCHS TV that there was “an understanding” that the sex was part of the deal.
This is the second time the city has disciplined Hunt. Last August, Hunt resigned as chief (but stayed on the force as a lieutenant) after revelations that he invited a woman, Jenny Harless, to his city office after hours, where she said Hunt disrobed and pulled her on top of him.
When the incident became public, Hunt apologized. At the time, Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said, “Being chief of police, just like mayor, is a 24-hour, seven day a week job, your entire focus and attention has to be on that. Not for yourself but for everybody standing beside you and behind you and are expecting your leadership and are standing in front of you.”
True, but that was before this second incident became public.
It is unclear how long the suspension will last, and Hunt has also been on medical leave so it is unclear what his status will be with the force. He is close to retirement, so maybe he will go that route… with full benefits if approved by the city pension board.
Here is a question: Why didn’t the city fire Hunt?
Former long-time Charleston Mayor Danny Jones said, “[Firing a police officer] is a very complicated process. Police have a Bill of Rights enshrined by the West Virginia Legislature.” Jones continued, “It’s very hard.”
Clearly the police deserve protections, otherwise any of their actions in the line of duty could be subject to civil or even criminal charges. However, those protections have limits. If Charleston decided to forego a firing because, well, it is just too complicated, then something is wrong with the process.
It is also possible that Mayor Goodwin and Chief Scott Dempsey just did not feel as though they had enough facts to warrant a firing.
Charleston officials have said little about the two investigations because it is a personnel matter. Mayor Goodwin found herself in a predicament. She prides herself on adhering to the personnel rules, but that also leaves the public questioning the results of the investigation.
However, this case is different. These are serious incidents involving a ranking police officer who also served as head of the entire department. Police have the power and the public needs to have confidence in the individuals who wield that power. Mayor Goodwin could help restore that confidence by being more transparent about the results of the investigations.
With what we know now, if Hunt’s behavior—as a person in a position of authority—did not rise to the level of dismissal, then what would?