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Jackson County board votes to strip sheriff of benefits

Steven Rand
Jackson County Sheriff
/
https://www.co.jackson.mi.us

Jackson County's sheriff is losing his job benefits by unanimous vote of the County Board of Commissioners.

That's because he did not resign by a May 1 deadline set by the Board because of offensive comments he made about women and minorities.

"We have publicly and officially condemned the conduct of the sheriff and do not believe that it is in Jackson County's best interest for him to remain," said Board Chairman James Shotwell.

Shotwell says only the governor has the authority to remove Steven Rand from office after an investigation.

Or he could be removed by voter recall.

A lieutenant in the Jackson Co. Sheriff's Department has federal lawsuitfiled against the sheriff and the county, alleging that Rand made insulting remarks against blacks, women and Hispanics and mocked Schuette for his work-related hearing loss. The lawsuit says the county failed to act when Schuette reported Rand's behavior, and isn't giving him proper disability coverage.

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