Wellston’s longtime police chief is out of a job after the state briefly yanked his peace-officer certification and fresh attention landed on a wild jailhouse gun incident caught on camera.
Chief Alfred Hancock resigned last Wednesday after state officials suspended his certification and questions resurfaced about a 2024 DUI arrest that ended with a detainee pulling out a small revolver at the Lincoln County jail. Hancock had led the small Lincoln County department since 2019, and his exit has locals asking hard questions about training, booking procedures and how a tiny force keeps people safe.
According to KOCO, a state order shows Hancock’s CLEET certification was suspended on May 15, 2025, after he failed to complete dozens of hours of mandatory training going back to 2022. The order cited gaps in required continuing education, mental-health, missing-persons and sexual-assault-investigation coursework. His certification was later reinstated in December 2025. KOCO reported that Hancock resigned on Feb. 25 and that the town followed up with a public message thanking him for his service…