By ELIZABETH FERSZT
Contributing Writer
Jackson County Sheriff, Gary Schuette said in an interview earlier this week that Lt. Jeremy Barnett will replace outgoing Undersheriff, Christopher A. Simpson, who left the office to become Chief of Police for the City of Jackson, effective today.
Sheriff Schuette stated that Barnett will be in an acting or temporary role until the position can be filled on a more permanent basis in the coming months.
Barnett is a 14-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and is currently the head of Patrol Operations. Schutte said that he does not have to advertise nationally or regionally for the position, that he can simply appoint the new undersheriff, without any vote or approval by the Jackson County Council or other body.
An undersheriff is similar to a vice-president; he/she is “directly under the sheriff, the second in the organization,” explained Schuette. An undersheriff is statutorily required, with one of their key responsibilities being the accounting of the department, making sure the budget and expenditures match, Schuette said. They also have law enforcement authority, including overseeing corrections and patrol; another big job of the undersheriff is to handle discipline of junior deputies who have had a complaint filed against them, overseeing the investigation and possible disciplinary actions, although the Sheriff has the final say in that, Schuette said.
The undersheriff also is in charge of public information from the department.
In regard to JPD Chief Christopher A. Simpson, Sheriff Schuette said, “he’s going to do a great job. Chris is the consummate professional, an excellent leader, and very knowledgeable in anything law enforcement related.”
“There will be a seamless transition” from former Chief Hitt to Chief Simpson, Schuette stated.
In regard to the recent news reports out of the federal prosecutor’s office in Detroit about the Thorough Bread Family (gang), and whether those investigations are over, the Sheriff remarked that the U.S. Attorney’s office can better answer that question, given the large scale of the law enforcement and legal efforts (in Jackson), there is often a ‘ripple effect’ – that the case may continue to have local implications.
