The police department for a small village in Fairfield County has been disbanded because it was not set up under proper legal authority when it was established in 2023, officials said.
Pleasantville Police Department was disbanded by Pleasantville City Council meeting at an April 15 meeting, Pleasantville Administrative Assistant Samantha McCreery said. All employees of the police department have been let go and must return their equipment.
A spokesperson for the Ohio Auditor’s Office confirmed the office received a complaint related to the Village of Pleasantville and is reviewing the complaint.
Police Chief Nick Garver resigned April 10, the Friday before the department was disbanded, according to Ohio Attorney General’s Office records.
McCreery said she did not know exactly why the department had to be disbanded or how the village government found out it had to happen. State agencies including the Ohio Auditor’s Office are investigating the situation, McCreery said.
McCreery said it’s not clear what will happen to tickets written by the police department, and it will likely be six months or more before the village gets direction on those cases.
“That’s what everyone wants to know when they call,” McCreery said.
Once it is decided what will happen to those cases, the village will reach out to the people involved, McCreery said.
According to the 2024 U.S. Census estimate, Pleasantville had 904 residents.
Pleasantville Mayor Michelle Dumolt did not return a call seeking comment. Dumolt took over earlier in the spring after former mayor Jason Henderson resigned.
McCreery said the village solicitor also resigned this spring. She could not say whether those resignations were related to the police department’s status.
A spokesperson for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office said the agency was not involved in the investigation, but would be processing separation forms for the police personnel.
Public Safety and Breaking News Reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio village police department disbands, leaving residents with questions
Reporting by Bailey Gallion, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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