Ex-Monongah police chief seen in viral traffic stop has state certification hearing set

MONONGAH, W.Va. (WBOY) — The former Monongah police chief seen in a viral video of a traffic stop earlier this month has a hearing set that could determine his future as a certified law enforcement officer in West Virginia.

Nathan Lanham has a hearing set for Aug. 29 at 9 a.m. before the West Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Subcommittee—an 11-member subcommittee tasked with deciding on the certification status of law enforcement officers in West Virginia. The subcommittee meets the last Thursday of each month at the West Virginia State Police Professional Development Center in Institute. An official with the subcommittee confirmed for 12 News that the group will be reviewing Lanham’s certification status at its next meeting.

Those hearings are open to the public, but the official told 12 News Lanham’s hearing could go into executive session. However, the subcommittee would ultimately vote on Lanham’s certification status following that executive session.

The video in question, recorded by a witness to the Aug. 1 arrest, shows Lanham apparently swearing at Sarah Delloma, as well as other people on the scene, before pulling his gun and smashing the woman’s driver-side window. Delloma can then be seen exiting the passenger side of the vehicle before being tackled to the ground and arrested by Lanham. Delloma was originally charged with fleeing, but those charges were dropped . Court documents show Lanham had originally stopped Delloma’s vehicle for not having an inspection sticker, as well as an expired registration sticker.

As of Aug. 6, Lanham was no longer employed by the Town of Monongah , but his status as an officer in the town of Anmoore is still unclear. At a previous meeting, Anmoore council members discussed Lanham’s employment in an extensive executive session but told 12 News it was advised by its attorney not to comment publicly on the situation.

Anmoore Town Council is scheduled to meet Monday, Aug. 19 at 7:00 p.m.

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