Surfside Beach city council officially accepts resignation of police chief amid exodus

The city council in Surfside Beach voted to accept the resignation of the city's police chief late Tuesday night.

The chief's resignation comes amid weeks of drama with an ugly clash between the city council and the police department.

It was heated at Tuesday night's city council hearing, where the chief's resignation was formally accepted after he turned it in on Monday.

ORIGINAL REPORT: 4 members of Surfside Beach PD, including chief, resign or announce intention to

The Surfside Beach Police Department lost more than half of its officers, and the departures will be discussed during a council meeting on Tuesday.

"Y'all do better. We deserve better. Y'all don't deserve to be elected if this is the behavior that's going to continue," a woman said during comments at the meeting.

"The way he was belittled, the way he was lied about, the way his family was treated is horrendous," another resident said.

The city council also accepted the resignations of three full-time officers, leaving the department with just five remaining full-time officers.

Lt. Jessica Montiel was among those who resigned. She told ABC13 she felt the department experienced retaliation anytime they arrested someone with ties to city hall.

She said the group was tired of their boss, Chief William Shannon Moncier, being threatened.

ABC13 reached out to city council about the series of resignations.The only person who spoke on camera is Councilmember Jonathan Gerber.

"So the allegations that he's making, to clarify, do those involve you? Is there any truth to them?" ABC13 Reporter Shannon Ryan asked. "You know, I would actually like to focus on what is really good about Surfside," Gerber said.

Gerber added that he did nothing wrong.

ABC13 spoke to several people off camera, including other council members and friends of Gerber, who accuse the chief of trying to wrongfully arrest people for crimes he says never happened.

ABC13 also reached out to Moncier, but he didn't respond. However, in a council meeting last month, he threatened to quit. He accused the council of working to remove him in what he described as an attempt to preserve a culture of covering up crimes, including drunk driving.

City officials have not yet named a replacement chief.

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