ARGENTINE, Mich. — A police officer is suing the township for eliminating her rank in the department.
Michele Russ, who is still an officer in the township, filed a lawsuit July 16 through the Genesee Circuit Court after she was moved back to patrol officer from sergeant in May. She is seeking $25,000 in damages.
Township Clerk Joseph Graves said the board eliminated the position in May because it needed more patrol officers on the street rather than inside the police department. Former Police Chief Terry Van Keuren created the sergeant position, but after he left the department amid his own squabble with the township in the spring, interim Police Chief Hank Kelly told board members the sergeant position wasn't needed.
The department had a police chief, a lieutenant, dispatcher and the sergeant in the building, while only one officer was out patrolling the streets, Graves said. Four vehicles were being used by the department's leaders, but only one car was being used to keep the streets safe.
"We are the small township of Argentine," he said. "We can't afford that. Now we have additional patrol."
Four full-time and four part-time officers are on the payroll. Currently, there is one officer patrolling from 7 a.m.-3 p.m., another officer patrols between 3 p.m. -12 a.m. and a third officer patrols between 12-8 a.m. The board eliminated the sergeant's position for a fourth patrolling shift between 4 p.m.-4 a.m. The officers rotate through all shifts.
"She took the shift, but she said we demoted her," Graves said.
The case isn't the officer's first contention with the township. Russ was on a medical leave earlier this year, Graves said, and filed a grievance when the township wouldn't pay four hours of her salary for the time she spent picking up necessary forms from the township and getting clearance from her doctor to return to work.
Glen N. Lenhoff, Russ' attorney, would not give any details about the case. A trial date has not been set.
"All I'm going to say is that I look forward to taking this case to trial," he said. "I'm not talking about it, and they shouldn't be talking about it either."
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