Entire Indiana town finds itself without a police department after all five officers quit in protest at the council 'asking them to do illegal and unethical things'

  • Entire Bunker Hill Police Department in Indiana quit the force on Monday night
  • Police chief and four deputies handed in their resignations at council meeting
  • Officers claim council asked cops to run illegal background checks on people
  • They also say they are forced to share one set of body armor between them 

By Emily Crane For Dailymail.com

Published: 18:08 EST, 14 December 2016 | Updated: 18:34 EST, 14 December 2016

An entire town in Indiana has been left without a police force after every single cop quit in protest against the government. 

The officers at the Bunker Hill Police Department in Indiana walked off the job on Monday night after resigning.

Police chief Michael Thomison submitted resignation letters for himself and his four unpaid deputies - Nate Ward, Josh Graham, Isaac Sprague and Troy Gornto - at a town council meeting. 

Bunker Hill Police chief Michael Thomison (pictured) submitted resignation letters for himself and his four deputies - Nate Ward, Josh Graham, Isaac Sprague and Troy Gornto - on Monday

'Due to the actions of the current town council, I find myself unable to continue in this job,' the resignation letter read.

'This means you now have to notify the state building department that you no longer have a valid department.' 

In his resignation letter, Thomison accused the town board of asking them to 'do illegal, unethical, and immoral things.'

The officers claimed the council had asked police to run background checks on other town councilors to find out criminal history and other confidential information. 

The officers at the Bunker Hill Police Department in Indiana (pictured) walked off the job on Monday night. They claim the town council tried to make them do illegal things

Police deputy Troy Gornto was among those to resign on Monday. He penned a Facebook post saying it was an 'honor and privilege' to work for the force and wished the town the best

Thomison also said the council's decision to cut the department from nine (pictured) to four deputies make it impossible to function properly and they only had one set of body armor

Thomison also said the council's decision to cut the department from nine to four deputies make it impossible to function properly.

The officers added that the deputies had to share one set of body armor, which puts their lives on the line when they are on duty making arrests.

'I did not want to send someone out there with bad body armor so I would take mine off and provide it to the other officers,' Thomison told Fox59.

'I told them we have to provide this, there is an IC code that explains that and says that the town has to provide that body armor.'

Police deputy Troy Gornto penned a Facebook post after resigning saying it was an 'honor and privilege' to work for the town

Thomison also argued that the council pushed him to working part-time when he returned to work after cancer treatment last year, which meant he wasn't entitled to healthcare. Pictured is a GoFundMe page set up by a fellow officer to support him

Thomison also argued that the council pushed him to working part-time when he returned to work after cancer treatment last year, which meant he wasn't entitled to healthcare. 

Police deputy Troy Gornto penned a Facebook post after resigning saying it was an 'honor and privilege' to work for the town.

'I got to meet a lot of local residents and got to known some people I can know called friends,' he wrote.

'I wish the town of Bunker Hill the best.'

The Miami Country Sheriff's office will patrol the town of Bunker Hill until they can replace the police force.  

 

 

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