Badge battle in Leland ends with firings
On Thursday, May 14, 2026, the Leland Board of Alderpersons gathered for a special called meeting at City Hall to discuss three agenda items: the Leland Mayor’s Youth Council, Parks and Rec Department, and Police Department personnel. During the discussion of Police Department personnel, Jimmy Myrick proposed two different individuals to be hired as dispatchers for the Leland Police Department. After quick motions to hire the new dispatchers, Mayor John Lee stated, “I need a motion to go into executive session.” Deon Morris put forth the motion, while Michael Street seconded the motion.
The Board stayed in executive session for over an hour before coming to a long-awaited decision. Before the Board came back into open session, Alderman Michael Street stepped out to speak with the Chief of Police, Jimmy Myrick, along with Investigator Jay Burden. It is unclear as to the exact exchange of words that was had between the three gentlemen, but afterwards, Street stepped back into the executive session.
Once the Board came back into open session, the action taken was announced by the clerk, and a motion was made to terminate both Chief of Police Jimmy Myrick and Investigator Jay Burden. Supporters of this motion were Aldermen Michael Street, Deon Morris and Johnnie Jones.
The two Alderwomen, Nancy Jo King and Barbara Brooks, did not vote in favor of the motion. King and Brooks also make up the City’s Police Committee. Both Alderwomen stated that they would have liked to have been allowed to do an internal investigation and review of the department before any action was taken.
While no official reason for the termination was given, Mayor John Lee’s wife, Patricia Lee, who also serves as the Washington County Tax Collector, has been vocal as to how she feels about the termination of both the Chief and Investigator for the Leland Police Department. On Facebook, Lee wrote, “We are tired of the corruption that has always stared us in the face.” She also stated in response to Brooks’ and Kings’ vote, “When you do things right you will be able to sleep at night” [sic]. These comments were made public by Lee that Thursday night. She said King and Brooks “turned a deaf ear to the evidence and chose to side with the devil!”
King stated that she had not been presented any “evidence” and questioned what Lee meant by that term, since there was no reason for termination. King did, however, state that she would have been more comfortable with the situation had there been an internal review and investigation of the department, as she and Brooks had previously stated.
