Huntington police officer Melbourne Hunnicutt is on a suspended leave without pay while the city's Board of Public Works and Safety reviews charges brought against him.
"My recommendation is the termination of Officer Hunnicutt from the police department," Chief Tom Emely said.
In June, Emely presented the board of works with a "Notice of Chief's Charges." In the document, he said Hunnicutt repeatedly used department computers while on duty "for the purpose of accessing Web sites, pornographic in nature, which were not job-related and not authorized by Department of City of Huntington policy."
"The city and police department has a policy that does not allow access to that type of information unless it's conducted in an investigation in normal performance of duties," Emely said.
Hunnicutt allegedly searched for porn from May 24 through June 14.
"Where the computer was, one of our other officers happened to notice some things on the computer that were inappropriate and we conduced an investigation from that point on," Emely said.
In the chief's charges, Hunnicutt was accused of neglect of duty and conduct unbecoming of an officer. The board suspended Hunnicutt on June 23rd and set a decision date of July 20. Hunnicutt had until June 30 to request a hearing, which his lawyer did, according to Huntington City Attorney John Branham.
Branham told NewsChannel 15 Hunnicutt requested a full hearing before the board of works. In that hearing, Hunnicutt can challenge the allegations against him and/or the termination recommendation. Chief Emely will also present his side.
A date for the hearing hasn't been set yet, but Branham doesn't expect it to happen before August 15.
Hunnicutt had been with the department for about 18 years and was most recently a detective. The recent allegations, Emely said, have shaken the department.
"It's mixed emotions and disbelief that someone would do that. Some disappointment also," Emely said.
Hunnicutt and his lawyer couldn't be reached for comment on Wednesday.
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