Entire Ohio Police Force Resigns: 'We're Tired of Being Disrespected'

An entire Ohio police department, including the chief, resigned Tuesday over a lack of support and clashes with village officials.

"As a department, we have decided that enough is enough," said Sgt. Renatta Griffith, one of the members of the Craig Beach Police Department who stepped down during a Village Council meeting, according to WFMJ-TV. "We're tired of being disrespected and micromanaged. … Our resignations are exactly what the council was trying to accomplish."

Griffith and four other officers spoke at the podium during Tuesday's meetings and turned in their badges. After that, officials requested that they left the building.

"We can not legally get rid of the police department, but what we did want them to do is their job," Council Member Charlotte Ashe said.

The Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, which handles 60% of the village's calls, will provide service. Mayor James Becker said he doesn't expect the walkouts to effect village public safety.

But the resigning officers feel the village will be negatively impacted by their departure.

"We are losing a great group of police officers dedicated to the Craig Beach community," Sgt. Michael Hudson said. "We are the first on the scene when we're working on the beach compared to other departments. They are busy on their terms, and this is our turf. I feel bad for the residents."

Chief Kyle Pettus was not at the meeting. In December, he was briefly laid off after publishing social media posts critical comments of village officials.