The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office is facing two lawsuits accusing it of violating whistleblower protection laws.
Both lawsuits filed last week were brought by former employees from the department's human resources sector. The lawsuits allege the employees were fired for speaking out against hiring practices they claim forced them to lie about unqualified applicants.
"She was the person attesting to these qualifications, but they made it so she was unable to attest to those, and as soon as she raised those concerns, that's when she was placed on administrative leave," said Adam Dreder, attorney for one of the plaintiffs.
According to the complaint filed on behalf of Chamane Williams, a new hiring process in February 2025 allegedly forced Williams to rubber-stamp applicants with background checks she knew didn't meet state standards. Dreher says the sheriff's office restricted Williams from seeing these background documents after she started speaking up.
"It still remained her responsibility to attest to those qualifications, which she was unable to do without seeing those background checks," Dreher said.
Williams went to the county with her concerns in June 2025, according to the lawsuit. The sheriff's office put her on paid leave four months later. She was fired in March 2026 for violations that led to a deputy working while being unlicensed, and for being untruthful when questioned about it, according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, a county...
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