Fired Colman Officer, is New Deputy Sheriff

Posted on Thursday, January 3, 2008

The Lake County Commissioners held their first meeting of 2008 this morning. They approved the hiring of Matthew Schlueter of Tea. Lake County Sheriff Roger Hartman says the thirty six year old Schlueter is an experienced corrections officer.

Schlueter also briefly served as Police Chief for the city of Colman, from May 19th to June 25th of 2007.

The City fired him without citing a reason publicly.

After his hiring, Schlueter expressed concerns about the way the city of Colman had been issuing speeding tickets to drivers on highway 34. The city was not filing those tickets with the Moody County Clerk of Courts. Speeders who did not contest their ticket instead were told to pay their fine to the city.

Schlueter was fired shortly after the his inquires were made.

In an August news release Schlueter's attorney Todd Epp said he believed Schlueter was dismissed because he would not write improper speeding tickets. Epp says Schlueter has appealed his dismissal and is awaiting a hearing date.

Schlueter's new job as Lake County Sheriff Deputy will begin Monday, January 7th.