By: Sheila Crowley
Staffwriter
Chris Lewis approached the Board during open forum to discuss the independent investigation process. “Do you know how many people work for the sheriff’s office, civilians, sworn and administration? Well there’s 19, including janitors 21. Of them 21 people how many were interviewed for this investigation? I was never asked. So, what I’m saying is when I do an investigation, and I’ve did investigations for over 10 years. I spoke with everyone involved with that incident. And everyone in the sheriff’s office should have been interviewed. Correct? No matter what? I mean I don’t pick and choose. If I’m going to interview you. I don’t pick with commissioner. I’m going to interview all of you Correct? So, I’d like to maybe see another independent investigation and have someone come in and talk to everybody. So. Thank You.”
Carol Gregory read a letter he had prepared for the Board. “I am here also about the investigation report. I am here as a concerned citizen of Murray County. I read the report on Sheriff Telkamp and listened to the videos which I found to be very disturbing. It was stated by the Sheriff that there is a conspiracy with three named individuals in one of the videos regarding a Slayton underground group. Also, there were two female employees present when there was a lot of vulgar language by the Sheriff. Some of the conversation directed at one of the female employees. I believe that the public has a right to the answer to these questions. No. 1: What is the underground he referred to? No. 2: In video two he stated that they are all at will – I find that statement threatening for that means he can fire them at any time doesn’t it? Someone from the Sheriffs Association told Steve that ‘they have pens, we’ve got guns’ and said by Steve laughing bizzaringly at the time. This also sounds very threatening to me. It also states in the report that this type of behavior is a constant and ongoing situation. There was not just one seven-minute video. There were three different days. Some citizens are blaming the commissioners and another employee of retaliation. It clearly states in the report. That the grievances were filed from Steve’s office and outside police personnel. I’m curious to know if there could be a law suit towards the County because of Steve’s behavior to past and present employees of Murray County and is there any way the videos could be aired on the city station so that the citizens would have an opportunity to view them. I talked to several people and they stated they only knew what was going on because they read the paper and “he said – she said”. I do plan to follow up with a letter to the editor summarizing the investigative report involving Sheriff Telkamp. Thank you for your time and listening to me.”
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