CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Some members of Charleston City Council plan to seek a resolution at Monday night’s council meeting in connection with a three-day suspension that happened last year concerning Charleston Police Chief Tyke Hunt.
Hunt apologized last month for inviting a woman he was having a relationship with to the police department for an after-hours meeting in March 2022.
Following an investigation by the city attorney, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin suspended Hunt for three-days without pay in June 2022. The information about the investigation just recently came to light when the woman with whom Hunt had a brief relationship, Jennifer Harless, detailed what happened on the Scoop Squad podcast.
“I am truly sorry for the hurt that my actions have caused my family, my colleagues and the citizens of Charleston,” Hunt said in the Wednesday statement. “I made a mistake and own my actions.”
Hunt called his decision “a lapse in personal judgment.”
Charleston City Council member Shannon Snodgrass doesn’t believe the situation is over.
“We’re going to ask for a resolution to be placed on the agenda to be voted on for an outside investigation,” Snodgrass said.
She said believes Hunt’s actions should have been reviewed by professional standards division of an outside police agency instead it was handled as a personnel matter like any other non-uniformed city employee.
“He is a uniform officer that subject to professional standards,” Snodgrass said.
Snodgrass said what happened with Hunt is a fireable offense.
“A three-day suspension and we’ve got more questions than we do have answers,” she said.
Charleston City Council is scheduled to meet Monday night at city hall.