Hanceville Disbands Police Department After Misconduct Scandal

City moves to dissolve municipal court and reassign police vehicles as it works to rebuild force after indictments of former officers.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Nearly a year after five Hanceville Police Department officers, including the former police chief, were indicted on felony misconduct allegations, the city of Hanceville has officially dissolved its municipal police department. The city council approved three ordinances to abolish the municipal court system, the HPD, and reassign police vehicles to other departments, though officials say this is just a procedural step as they work to restore the law enforcement agency.

Why it matters

The disbanding of the Hanceville Police Department comes after a high-profile scandal involving the department's 'culture of corruption,' including allegations of drug distribution, steroid use, and failure to report ethics violations. The city is now tasked with rebuilding the police force from the ground up while addressing concerns over public safety and restoring trust in local law enforcement.

The details

The indictments of the five former HPD officers and one officer's spouse were announced last year following an investigation by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation into the death of a city dispatcher, Chris Willingham, who died of a drug overdose at his desk in 2024. The investigation revealed the department's evidence locker was accessible without a key due to a missing cinderblock on its exterior wall, which the grand jury believed was a direct cause of Willingham's death.

  • In February 2025, all remaining HPD employees were placed on administrative leave as the city deferred law enforcement and dispatch operations to the Cullman County Sheriff's Office.
  • In March 2025, the previous city council unanimously voted to rebuild the department after a significant overhaul and implement new oversight policies and procedures.
  • On February 12, 2026, the current Hanceville City Council approved three ordinances to officially dissolve the municipal court system, the HPD, and reassign police vehicles.

The players

Jason Marlin

Former police chief of the Hanceville Police Department, who was one of five officers indicted on felony misconduct allegations.

Nolan Bradford

Newly appointed mayor of Hanceville, who explained the city's move to dissolve the police department was a necessary procedural step as they work to restore the law enforcement agency.

Chris Willingham

A Hanceville city dispatcher who died of a drug overdose at his desk in 2024, which sparked the investigation that led to the misconduct indictments.

Kim Brown

The only remaining city council member from the previous administration, who provided the only dissenting vote to the ordinances disbanding the police department.

Jana Shelton

Newly appointed Hanceville mayor pro tem, who asked for patience from residents as the city works to rebuild the police department.

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What they’re saying

“To make things legal, we pretty much have to get rid of everything that's in here. It has to be transferred over to the [Cullman County Sheriff's Office] or some other entity. That doesn't mean we can't restart it.”

— Nolan Bradford, Mayor (cullmantimes.com)

“I just want the citizens to know they need to be patient because we are working as hard as we can to do things the right way. We don't want to mess up on anything. Just be patient with us because we are going to do our best to do what we ran on and get the police department back. It just takes time and is a process.”

— Jana Shelton, Mayor Pro Tem (cullmantimes.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the former officers indicted in the misconduct scandal to be released on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges cities face in rebuilding trust in local law enforcement after high-profile scandals, and the importance of implementing robust oversight and accountability measures to prevent future misconduct.