BROOKE COUNTY, Ohio (WTRF) — Seventeen current and former Brooke County Sheriff’s deputies have filed suit against the Brooke County Commission, citing discrimination, faulty pay practices, and retaliation.
They say one deputy in particular was targeted because of a health issue.
And when fellow officers stood up for him, they say the county allegedly retaliated against all of them.
They allege that the county commission decided to get rid of one deputy who has a blood disorder because his life-giving medication was expensive and was causing the department’s health insurance costs to rise.
They say, first, the commission ordered the sheriff to fire the man, and when the sheriff refused, the commission started a campaign of harassment against him that “exceeded the bounds of decency and that no one should have to endure.”
“Embarrassment, humiliation and ultimately led to him leaving the department. I mean he felt enormous pressure that every deputy there was gonna be financially affected because of him. There were all types of inappropriate conduct regarding violations of his medical privacy.”
Attorney Teresa Toriseva | Representing the deputies
And there’s a second suit, this one by former Chief Deputy Scott Adams, for those same complaints–and one other.
“Chief Deputy Adams was targeted in violation of his religious freedom for praying with someone, a prisoner who asked him to pray with him. And we find this conduct to be outrageous.”
Attorney Teresa Toriseva | Representing the deputies
The deputies are asking for a jury trial, in which the jury can determine the amount of damages.
