Trending Topics

Mich. deputy fired, sergeant demoted after 7 inmates left in transport van

After being left unattended for nearly two hours, one inmate was able to break a window in the van and unlock the doors, allowing all seven to get out and call for help on an intercom

Kalamazoo County Jail

Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A Kalamazoo County deputy has been terminated and a sergeant demoted after seven inmates were left unattended in a transport van for nearly two hours.

The incident, which occurred on May 12, stemmed from what the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office described as “a lack of supervisory oversight, inadequate communication and unintentional negligence.”

According to the sheriff’s office, one of the inmates managed to break a security window, exit the vehicle and unlock the doors, allowing the others to get out. The inmates then went to the garage area, where they pressed an intercom button to request help.

Deputies responded and escorted the inmates to the jail’s medical housing unit for evaluation. All seven were cleared and returned to their assigned housing.

An internal review found several violations of departmental directives. In addition to the firing of one deputy, two others received counseling. The supervising sergeant involved in the incident was demoted and will undergo retraining for the new role, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office said it is reviewing its current jail transport policies to prevent a similar situation in the future.

“We are not happy at all that this happened,” Sheriff Richard Fuller told WWMT. “We’re not going to hide from it. We’re going to make sure people understand that when something goes wrong, we investigate it and work to make it better.”

In a statement, the sheriff’s office emphasized its commitment to transparency and accountability while ensuring the integrity of ongoing and future investigations.

Trending
At least 459 hearings and dozens of petitions are under review due to nearly 6,000 faulty drug tests in California prisons
The bonuses are funded by nearly $200 million in federal fines imposed over California’s failure to meet mental health staffing mandates in prisons
Ralph Menzies, sentenced to death in 1988, was found to still understand his crime and punishment despite severe cognitive decline

Sarah Roebuck is the news editor for Police1, Corrections1, FireRescue1 and EMS1, leading daily news coverage. With nearly a decade of digital journalism experience, she has been recognized for her expertise in digital media, including being sourced in Broadcast News in the Digital Age.

A graduate of Central Michigan University with a broadcast and cinematic arts degree, Roebuck joined Lexipol in April 2023. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com or connect on LinkedIn.