Virginia town council plans to eliminate its police department

A small town in western Loudoun County, Virginia, faces a major change some feel could leave the community less safe.

The Purcellville Town Council shocked the community when it initiated a plan to eliminate the town’s police department to save money.

"This department is a continual drain on our town's financial resources, and it's time the hemorrhaging came to a stop," Council member Susan Khalil said.

A simple majority voted in favor of starting to eliminate the 16-member police department with a budget of just more than $3 million a year.

"This is reckless and ignorant," said Council member Erin Rayner.

She said the motion caught her by surprise and there hasn't been a public hearing on eliminating the police department.

But there is political motivation, she said.

“The people that are bringing about this change all ran on lowering water rates, which is a huge thing in our town about our high-water rates," Rayner said.

Council seats technically are independent of party, but Rayner said they all lean conservative.

The move to eliminate the police department was made just after the department received official reaccreditation from the Virginia Professional Standards Commission. Only 25% of law enforcement agencies in Virginia have earned the distinction.

Vice Mayor Ben Nett was a Purcellville police officer, but in February, the commonwealth's attorney added him to the Brady List, meaning he can't be deemed a credible and truthful witness – citing Nett was under internal investigation.

Nett was fired from the force, then voted in support of eliminating the department.

The Coalition of Loudoun Towns – a group of all the mayors in the county – announced Thursday "the immediate suspension of [the Purcellville Mayor]" due to "ethically questionable practices resulting in multiple violations of Virginia state law."

Mayor Christopher Bertaut did not respond to News4's requests for an interview Friday.

The coalition didn't specify whether the suspension was related to the police department or the fact that the same group of council members – at the same meeting – hired the former mayor to become town manager.

"The town council hired the former mayor, their political ally, without conducting any interviews whatsoever,” said Josh Shields, who is leading a recall campaign against some council members. “We had over 80 candidates, some of them were highly qualified."

Council members said they expect a final vote on eliminating the police department April 22.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office already provides some law enforcement support for Purcellville. The mayor issued a statement Thursday saying that in the coming weeks, the town would begin a transition to the sheriff’s department taking over all the town’s law enforcement responsibilities.

In response, Sheriff Mike Chapman called that claim premature, saying the town hasn’t made a formal request and they haven’t started to discuss any of the critical issues involved with the sheriff’s department covering Purcellville.

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