WADESBORO, N.C. — Residents in Wadesboro are concerned after at least three police officers left the small town's police department in the past week alone.
Adrian Robson, who was a Wadesboro Police Department officer for two years, said he left the department due to Wadesboro town leadership.
"Mr. Wiley Ross came into the township with more of what Mr. Ross wants and not with the township needs," Robson explained.
Ross began managing the town of about 5,000 people in June.
Robson told WCNC Charlotte there are several officers who have left since Ross took office.
"The police officers, I’ve spoken with many of them, they are feeling demoralized," Robson explained. "They feel frustrated since the new city manager has taken over.”
A person who works for the town, who WCNC Charlotte is not identifying because of that person's fear of backlash from Ross, said two officers quit on Thursday and a third on Friday.
A new picture provided to WCNC Charlotte allegedly shows Ross driving a city police car to multiple locations including a Food Lion grocery store and AT&T store.
"If I were to drive a police vehicle and I was a civilian in a civilian position, that seems to me that I'd be impersonating a police officer," Robson explained.
WCNC Charlotte's Austin Walker called Ross on Monday. Ross would not answer questions and hung up the phone call after promising he would provide answers on Tuesday.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.