In 2008, Deputy Nick Merritt was arrested and charged with felony second-degree assault for allegedly choking his 16-year-old daughter. The incident occurred after a verbal altercation at their home. Merritt denied attempting to choke his daughter but admitted to placing his hands on her neck. This was not his first misconduct; in 2001, while serving as Republic’s police chief, Merritt was suspended for 13 months after being found intoxicated and inappropriately touching a woman at a bar. Witnesses reported seeing Merritt drunk both on and off duty during that period. Following the 2008 incident, Merritt was placed on paid administrative leave pending investigation.
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