Corruption and Chaos

OAK HILL -- There's a new sheriff in town, but for how long?

NSBNews.net photos by Henry Frederick / Embattled Police Chief Diane Young stands in the back of the meeting room while the city commission vote to shut down the police department in favor of coverage by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

NEWS ALERT: Oak Hill commissioners voted 3-2 to immediately shut down the police department after an intense one-hour discussion about embattled Police Chief Diane Young and the issue of marijuana plants found on Mayor Mary Lee Cook's property and whether the chief had something to do with it.

City Clerk Administrator Laura Goodearly was fired. As of 7:15 p.m. Oak Hill was officially under the direction of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

NSBNEWS.net file photo / Oak Hill City Attorney is shown here in one of his final in-person appearances in March at a City Commission hearing. 

OAK HILL -- Pennywise and pound foolish: That has been the situation with Oak Hill's unique arrangement with City Attorney Scott Simpson since early spring where he's been accessible through Skype on the computer or by phone or often lately, not available at all.

But Simpson will be there in the flesh for tonight's special meeting regarding alleged corruption in the police department.

NSBNews.net file photo of Oak Hill Police Chief Diane Young

OAK HILL -- The Florida Department of Law Enforcement acknowledged for the first time that it has the Oak Hill Police Department on its investigative radar.

"We've received some information as it relates to the police department and we're looking into it," FDLE spokeswoman Heather Smith told NSBNews.net.

Smith declined to get into specifics except to say things are in the preliminary stages that "may or may not be criminal" in the small police force led by embattled Police Chief Diane Young, whose reinstatement of Sgt. Manuel Perez a week ago today after has been met with skepticism from some city officials and residents alike.

OAK HILL -- Sgt. Manny Perez returned to work this morning from his March 30 paid suspension, but things are far from settled with him accusing embattled Police Chief Diane Young of being corrupt, engaging in a relationship with a drug dealer, ticket fixing and other allegations, all of which she has denied.