Ruby Hearing Reveals Embarassing Facts About Sheriff's Department

Controversy continues over the firing of a Webster County Deputy last year. The Webster County Civil Service Commission is currently weighing evidence presented in a March hearing, regarding the firing of Sergeant Curt Ruby, a 28-year veteran in law enforcement. Ruby is appealing his firing by Webster County Sheriff Brian Mickelson in December last year. Transcripts of the hearings have been made public and reveal a weak and disorganized case by the Sheriff’s Department, as well as a number of embarrassing revelations about the department. (Go to http://www.curtrubyhearing.com to read the transcripts and other evidence.) Mickelson said Ruby was fired for having a temper and for actions he had made on the job. Ruby said his firing was an attempt to discredit him as he plans to run against Mickelson for sheriff in this year’s election. Bridget Penick, an attorney from Des Moines, presented evidence for Brian Mickelson as the Webster County Attorney had refused to represent the Sheriff’s Department in this case. In their testimony, Sheriff Mickelson, Chief Deputy Jim O’Brien, as well as deputies Luke Fleener and Michael Halligan and others accused Ruby of being derelict in duty, disrespectful to his superiors and having anger issues. The most serious of Mickelson’s charges included not following proper procedures in three separate domestic abuse calls, allowing a shift he was responsible for to have only one officer on duty, and making threats against the Sheriff. Under cross-examination by Ruby’s attorney, Roxanne Conlin, both Mickelson and Chief Deputy Jim O’Brien admitted that they had not investigated their charges against Ruby, or properly documented them, as is required by the Webster County Sheriff’s Department general orders. As the hearings progressed and evidence was presented, both men admitted under cross-examination that at least some of the charges they had leveled against Sergeant Ruby were not actually violations of the department’s general orders. Click headline for full story

[4justice]

If people can not see how corrupt the Webster County Sheriff's department is then nothing will change and are these poeple we want protecting us from criminals. I'm sure Dawn Gailey will have something to say about the imcompetence of this department. Talking about corruption what is up the with the Fort Dodge Messenger? I do believe they should be held accountable about not printing the whole facts and truth is this hearing and isn't the media suppose to remain impartial to this issues. I hope Brian Mickelson is paying them well for doing his dirty work.

[FedUP]

The webster county sheriff's dept. is known as a joke of a dept. It has a high level if "inbred" mentality and is laughed about by other law enforcement organizations throughout the state. It's reputation for dysfunction is well known by many, both locally & state wide.

[BadgeGirl]

the citizens of webster county should be very concerned that they have a sheriff who breaks the law and engages in illegal activities to further his personal agenda. This type of conduct by a public official is unacceptable.

[Gadfly47]

It makes me wonder if Mickelson has something to hide.

[old professor]

you do not have the right to be arbitrary in your decisions about discipline. The sheriff needs to be cited for his lack of knowledge by those same commissioners. When this case gets to the state level Ruby will prevail.

[Wildman63]

I can almost guess there are a lot of things going on inside the Webster Co. Sheriffs Dept. that the pulic does not know about. I really wonder if Mickelson is sometimes afraid of his own shadow sometimes. It does not really seem to me that the crime rate has really decreased since he has taken office.

[Why is that]

I just visited the website listed above the http://www.curtrubyhearing.com , and it looks like to me if a person was so "innocent", and took the time to make a website he would also not be so "political" and put the whole hearing proceedings on the website.... or is he the one that has something to hide???

[angered]

Lets just say that Curt Ruby is far from who says he is...he is underhanded, maniacal, hot tempered, and a liar!!

[grands]

the webster county sheriif's office is so corrupted that randy weaver moved ruby ridge the result of that has been epic "the lost souls in the Oklahoma bombing could never understand why the law not working In Webster county would cause their deaths , ruby ridge (randy weaver)sighted by timothy McVeigh

[Gadfly47]

Mickelson's corruption is finally catching up with him. State and Federal authorities are investigating abuse of power and spending irregularities.