Lt. Michelle Pollard Leaves Pitt County Sheriff's Office

Lt. Michelle Pollard Leaves Pitt County Sheriff's Offic ... (Added: July 15, 2009)

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Lt. Michelle Pollard Leaves Pitt County Sheriff's Office

A deputy walks away from the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office after working on the force for 16 years.

By Parul Joshi
Published: July 15, 2009

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Eyewitness News 9 has learned a 16 year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department resigned from her job after the North Carolina Sheriff’s Commission accused her of immoral behavior. Sheriff Mac Manning says Lieutenant Michelle Pollard wants to pursue another career.

The North Carolina Sheriff's Education and Training Standards Commission told Lieutenant Michelle Pollard they questioned her moral character saying they believed her justice officer certification should be revoked. The commission certifies all officers for sheriff's offices in the state of North Carolina.

Back in April, the commission's director Julia Lohman, told Pollard why they didn't think she should hold the honor. In Lohman's letter to Pollard she writes, "Facts and circumstances exist to show that, subsequent to on or about May 2006, while holding certification as a justice officer, you were observed smoking marijuana on at least three occasions."

The letter also states Pollard publicly exposed her breasts twice in 2006. Lohman went on to write to Pollard "…you no longer possess the good moral character required of all justice officers."

Sheriff Mac Manning defended and praised Pollard's work saying she was a talented investigator and the most knowledgeable gang detective on the force.

Manning also stressed that Pollard's justice officer certification has not been revoked and that decision will be up to a judge. We were unable to contact Pollard who has filed a notice of appeal with the Office of Administrative Hearings. She is fighting the claims. Pollard's pre-hearing statement, which was filed with the OAH, is on the side. Just click and zoom in on the highlighted portions to read them.

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Pollard began working as a Sheriff’s deputy August 18th 1993. Her last day on the job was July 1st of this year. Controversial claims surrounded Michelle Pollard ever since her husband Stacey Pollard drowned in their pool in 2005. His mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit two years later against Michelle Pollard, Sheriff Mac Manning, former Chief Lee Moore and Chief Rick Fisher. The suit claimed investigators at the Sheriff’s Office botched the investigation into Stacey Pollard’s death because of their close-personal relationship with Michelle Pollard. In January 2008, a federal judge dismissed that lawsuit. But the claims against Michelle Pollard were dismissed “without prejudice”; leaving the possibility of another suit on that claim.

Two days later Barbara Pollard filed another wrongful death lawsuit against Michelle Pollard but this time in state court. There have been no major developments or filings in that case since January of this year.