Lawsuit Alleges Adams County Sheriff Retaliated Against Former Deputies Over Political Campaign, Violated Constitutional rights
Days after taking office in 2019, Adams County Sheriff Richard Reigenborn forced four senior members to resign because they’d supported his opponent in the sheriff’s race — then he filled the positions with his less-qualified friends and supporters, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this month by those four former sheriff’s deputies.
Former Chiefs Timothy James Coates and Gene Claps, along with former Captain Mark Mitchell and former Commander Kevin Currier filed the lawsuit July 1 against Reigenborn and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, alleging Reigenborn violated their rights to free speech and due process when he told them to resign or be fired one week after he took office after winning in an upset.
“Literally dumped out on the curb after a 29-year career with no explanation, no anything,” Mitchell said in an interview Thursday, describing how he had to call his wife for a ride home from outside the sheriff’s office.
A spokesman for the sheriff’s office declined to comment for this story because of the pending lawsuit.