Captain Bill Michaelis was implicated in a 2008 retaliation complaint filed by Deputy John Smith. Smith alleged that Michaelis retaliated against him for agreeing to testify in a federal discrimination lawsuit brought by three Hispanic deputies against the department. The complaint claimed that Michaelis referred to the deputies as ‘the three Mexicans’ and took disciplinary action against Smith shortly after he agreed to testify. The case was settled in 2011, with Smith receiving $400,000 and the agency agreeing to policy changes.
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