Among those leaving is Chief Bob Hale, who was hired in June 2023, who said Thursday in a Facebook post on Thursday that he wanted to "exit quietly" and with "minimal attention."

McColl Police Chief Bob Hale resigned due to what he called a hostile work environment. His four officers immediately left behind him.

Garner told ABC-affiliated WCIV that the town was in a difficult situation. According to WCIV, the McColl Police Department had six different chiefs in the last four years, citing significant instability. Police Chief Bob Hale attributed his resignation to treatment by a town council member, WCIV reported.

The entire police department of McColl, South Carolina, resigned on Friday, leaving the town without any law enforcement officers. The chief of police said his resignation was due to a “hostile work environment” created by a City Council member who allegedly cut significant amounts of the department’s budget.

It's not the first time this rural South Carolina town has been abandoned by the police department. Community members say town leaders should stop interfering.

The entire police department of a small South Carolina town resigned en masse, leaving the area without its own dedicated police force. Chief Bob Hale of the McColl Police Department announced his resignation on November 21 in a social media post, citing a “ hostile work environment perpetuated by a specific Councilman.”