WATFORD CITY, N.D. (AP) - A nearly decade-long veteran of the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office has been appointed to lead the department as removal proceedings against the sheriff move forward.
The McKenzie County Commission unanimously voted to name Sgt. Matt Johansen interim sheriff, the Williston Herald (https://bit.ly/2gC3p8s ) reported. Commission chairman Richard Cayko said Johansen will continue to serve as sheriff until the next election cycle in 2018 if Gary Schwartzenberger is removed.
“I’d been hearing talk amongst different people (about the position), but I didn’t reach out to anybody,” Johansen said.
The commission in October asked Gov. Jack Dalrymple to remove the sheriff from office, citing an alleged workplace culture of bullying and retaliation.
Dalrymple suspended Schwartzenberger last week after an investigation by the state attorney general’s office into an alleged workplace culture of bullying and retaliation.
Some of the 15 people who testified in the investigation claimed Schwartzenberger seemed to favor some employees over others and was prone to angry outbursts.
A hearing for Schwartzenberger, in which he will have the opportunity to defend himself and call his own witnesses, has not been scheduled.
Schwartzenberger has said previously that he looks forward to getting due process.
Johansen ran for sheriff against Schwartzenberger in 2014 but didn’t advance beyond the primary election. He began his career in law enforcement in 2000, and began working for the Sheriff’s office in 2007.
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Information from: Williston Herald, https://www.willistonherald.com
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