Huron Public Safety Director threatens law suit over rumor

On Thursday afternoon, Jan. 31, Huron Township Public Safety Director Everette Robbins called the Independent to say it was irresponsible for the Independent to print a rumor concerning his department in the Jan. 31 edition.
He was angry and said his officers were upset because they did everything by the book and the rumor made them look bad. He said if the Independent didn’t publish a retraction, he would sue the editor personally.
Director Robbins was referring to the page 13 report about Huron Township police arresting a Sumpter Township police officer for drunk driving on Jan. 26.
After printing a statement by Sumpter Township Public Safety Director/Police Chief Eric Luke, the report said: “The Independent also had asked Chief Luke about the rumor that Huron officers offered to let the officer go and Luke insisted they follow through.”
Chief Luke’s reply was: “As to the claim about my response… That’s false. The arrest had already been made by the time I was notified. If I had been presented with that scenario, however, I would have told those officers the same thing I tell my own. You have a job to do, do it. Don’t jeopardize yourself trying to lessen the impact of someone else’s poor decision.”
Director Robbins said he doesn’t care what Luke said. Robbins was still upset.
Robbins said he was the one who called Luke to inform him of the arrest.