A command officer at the Newaygo County Sheriff's Office is suspended from his job as an investigation begins to determine whether the deputy broke election laws regarding "on-duty" political activity.
This comes at the same time the county's undersheriff is resigning from his job within the department.
Sheriff Pat Hedlund released a memo to the WZZM 13 Watchdog team Monday, June 6, explaining that a ranking member of his department may have "defied election laws, department policies regarding insubordination, 'on-duty' political activity and policy regarding the unauthorized release of departmental information."
Sources tell us the deputy in question is Lt. Chad Palmiter.
Palmiter was in the news in March of last year when a video posted on YouTube came to the attention of Hedlund and others in the community. It was perceived by Hedlund at the time that Palmiter told county commissioners he required quotas on tickets and that he punishes deputies if they don't live up to the quotas.
At the time, Palmiter received a written reprimand.
This time, Hedlund says the deputy was involved in election activity on taxpayer time. Sheriff Hedlund is currently running for election against Grant and White Cloud Police Chief Bob Mendham.
On the same day, Palmiter was disciplined, Undersheriff Brian Boyd announced his early resignation from the department.
In a statement made by Boyd and provided to the WZZM 13 Watchdog team by Hedlund, Boyd said, “I have been struggling with this decision for some time, and finally decided it was the best decision for me and my family.
"I am appreciative for the years I was able to work for the people in Newaygo County and will miss being able to serve in the capacity of undersheriff," Boyd wrote.
Undersheriff Boyd, we are told, is not involved in the Palmiter investigation. He resigned effective May 31, 2016.
Hedlund appointed Deputy Wes Bierling to the position of undersheriff. Bierling has been a member of the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Department since 2005.
Hedlund will sit down with the WZZM 13 Watchdog team Tuesday, June 7, to discuss how the departures could affect public safety.