Update 4:25 pm 6/8/18
A South Dakota sheriff’s department is being inundated with phone calls condemning a sheriff for firing a deputy who defeated him in a primary race.
The Bon Homme County sheriff’s department alerted county commissioners Thursday that the overwhelming response to the firing is affecting the agency’s ability to do its job.
Sheriff Lenny Gramkow fired deputy Mark Maggs almost immediately after Maggs defeated him in Tuesday’s Republican primary.
Gramkow didn’t give a reason for the firing.
Deputy Brian McGuire says people are using 911 to contact the department about the move.
He says the calls could be interfering with the department’s response to actual emergency calls.
McGuire says the department took its Facebook page down after receiving so many negative comments.
AP
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A South Dakota sheriff who lost to a deputy in the state’s Republican primary has fired that deputy who defeated him.
Bon Homme County Sheriff Lenny Gramkow fired deputy sheriff Mark Maggs one minute after the polls closed Tuesday.
Maggs defeated Sheriff Gramkow 878-331 in the primary election.
Maggs posted his time-stamped termination notice signed by Gramkow on Facebook after polls closed.
Gramkow didn’t give a reason for the firing.
South Dakota is a right-to-work state where employees can be fired without cause and the state’s sheriffs have the authority to hire and fire personnel.
Gramkow declined to comment about the firing.
Maggs planned to meet with the county commission today (Thursday).
AP
