DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) - The Devils Lake police chief and his top captain have been suspended after a city assessment found low morale and reports of a hostile work environment at the police department.
The City Commission on Monday placed Chief Keith Schroeder and Capt. Jon Barnett on paid administrative leave while officials decide their future with the agency. Sgt. Jim Frank, a 30-year veteran of the force, will handle the chief’s duties in the meantime.
“This has really been a tough decision to make,” Devils Lake Mayor Dick Johnson said.
The decision follows an assessment of the 18-member police department that also found an opinion among some officers that the agency was a “laughingstock.” Officers complained of broken equipment and poor pay, and at least half of the staff said they were looking for another job.
A majority of employees cited specific examples, including a time when Schroeder allegedly took 45 minutes to get to a shooting scene involving an officer and left a few minutes later to attend a ceremony in Bismarck. The assessment also said officers who witnessed Barnett exhibit odd behavior, including sleeping through trainings and at his desk.
Schroeder has been chief for seven years, while Barnett has been with the department for 34 years.
A listed phone number couldn’t be found for Schroeder. A number listed for Barnett is disconnected.
Police Commissioner Craig Stromme said the commission will make a decision about its course of action within a week.
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