Two North Carolina police officers have been indicted and their department has been stripped of its criminal investigation duties.

The attorney general's office said Monday Alphonzo Devonne Whittington, Jr. was charged with the following 11 counts:

1 count of felony embezzlement

1 count of obtaining property by false pretense

3 counts of felony larceny

3 counts of felony obstruction of justice

2 counts of willful failure to discharge duty (a misdemeanor)

1 count of solicitation to commit a felony (a misdemeanor)

In addition, Darryl Eugene Coulter, Sr. was charged with the following 20 counts:

2 counts of felony obstruction of justice

3 counts of second degree kidnapping (a felony)

1 count of felony breaking and entering

2 counts of willful failure to discharge duty (a misdemeanor)

3 counts of simple assault (a misdemeanor)

3 counts of assault with a deadly weapon (a misdemeanor)

3 counts of assault by pointing a gun (a misdemeanor)

3 counts of false imprisonment (a misdemeanor)

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office issued a statement Monday that said its deputies have been assigned to handle criminal work at the Spring Lake Police Department.

The sheriff's office also has assumed all 911 calls to the police department and established a direct phone line. District Court Judge Beth Keever said in a memo that a grand jury issued indictments Monday for the two Spring Lake officers for actions that occurred while they were on duty. The charges haven't been released.

District Attorney Ed Grannis said in a letter Monday that he will halt prosecution of any criminal cases initiated by Spring Lake police and drop all misdermeanor cases.

The arrests stem from an SBI investigation that began in 2007. According to the attorney general's office, future indictments and arrests are likely.

Jeannette Council, the Chairwoman of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, released this statement Tuesday:

"In view of the developments yesterday affecting the Spring Lake Police Department, I have contacted the Spring Lake Mayor and the Sheriff to assure them that the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners will support the Sheriff's Office in providing law enforcement protection to the citizens of Spring Lake during a limited transition period of approximately 30 days. The Commissioners urge the leaders of Spring Lake to contract with the Sheriff to provide basic law enforcement services to Spring Lake until the Spring Lake Police Department can resume its role as a fully functioning law enforcement agency."