McCleary Police Department in a state of turmoil

Published 1:30 am Monday, July 27, 2026

On July 20, McCleary Mayor Brycen Huff informed Police Chief Ryan Miskell via a letter that he was terminated effective that day.

“Please return all city property in your possession, including but not limited to keys, firearm, taser, OC spray, body camera, handcuffs, radio, badges (wallet badge and uniform badge), city commission card,” the letter instructed.

However, on Friday, July 24, the city emailed Chief Miskell another letter that said, “the city is rescinding your prior termination and reinstating you to employment effective immediately. Effective immediately upon your reinstatement, you are being placed on paid administrative leave pending further administrative action.”

The city scheduled a pre-disciplinary hearing for Wednesday, July 29, where Chief Miskell will have the opportunity to respond to the proposed disciplinary action, after which a final decision will be made regarding his employment.

Chief Miskell joined the city in December 2024, accepting the chief of police position for a department that had one sergeant and three police officers. In response to the termination letter, Chief Miskell sent an email to the City Council and Mayor Huff that detailed a pattern of behavior he had experienced involving an officer within the department. Additionally, Chief Miskell was investigating a formal complaint containing serious allegations regarding this officer, which he alerted Mayor Huff, Darren Raines, the city administrator, and Madison Pleasant, the city attorney. The Daily World and employees with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission were CCed on this email.

“On July 17, 2026, Mayor Huff signed a document that I intended to serve on the officer when he reported for work on July 20, 2026. On the morning of July 20, before I had the opportunity to do so, Mayor Huff terminated my employment. He then reinstated the officer to the position of Sergeant and appointed him as Interim/acting Chief of Police,” Chief Miskell wrote.

The officer isn’t named in the email, however, the city of McCleary’s website lists Randy Bunch as interim police chief.

Bunch was promoted to sergeant at the city council meeting held on Aug. 18, 2022. A King5.com article published on Aug. 3, 2012, describes an incident from earlier that year in which Officer Bunch arrested McCleary fire Commissioner Bob Enriquez. “And in July, a McCleary Police Department report revealed that Officer Bunch admitted he had a brief, intimate relationship wtih Enriquez’s wife,” the article said. (https://www.king5.com/article/news/questions-about-conflict-of-interest-after-mccleary-firefighters-arrest/281-330722939.)

In addition to having an interim police chief, the city of McCleary confirmed to The Daily World that part-time police clerk, Dani Reeves, gave her two weeks’ notice, as did Officer Ed Owen to accept a position with another agency. Though the city of McCleary’s website no longer lists Reeves as an employee, Officer Owen is still listed.