MUSKEGON, Mich. (WZZM) -- A police union has filed a formal complaint against the Muskegon County Sheriff's Department, claiming it violated a contract when it reassigned a long time captain to the night shift.
The Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council filed the grievance on behalf of Captain Michael Poulin, who was moved by Muskegon County Sheriff Dean Roesler and Undersheriff Dan Stout.
The union claims the move was politically motivated because Roesler and Stout believe Poulin may run against him in November 2016, or he could recruit another person to run against the sheriff.
"If there were issues that they wanted to work with him on they certainly have that right as management to do that," said Ed Fox who represents command and road patrol employees at the sheriff's office. "That is the crux of our grievance. Our contract specifically prohibits management from making these move for punitive reasons".
Poulin was on a number of public safety committees and ran the recently disbanded Emergency Response Team.
"The way they have gone about this they are simply making this punitive move based on rumors." Fox said grievances play out in three steps; steps one and two have been denied by Roesler.
Step three is for the union is to ask the Muskegon County Human Resources Department to restore Poulin to the day shift. The county has 10 days to respond. The union says it is prepared to take the grievance in front of a third party arbitrator if necessary.
But for now, Poulin will continue to work nights at the Muskegon County Jail.
"He is going to follow his orders and he is going to perform his duty as he has, in a very stellar manor for the last many years. He has been awarded a lot of awards and maybe that performance makes the sheriff feel threatened, I do not know," Fox said.
In a written response, Stout said he and Roesler "will not, and cannot comment on personnel issues."
