The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - Columbia County Sheriff 's Deputy Mark Franklin, a former candidate for sheriff in the county, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into an incident that occurred in Waitsburg in February while he was off duty.

"I'm concerned about the information we've received," said Columbia County Sheriff Walt Hessler, the incumbent sheriff who was re-elected over Franklin last fall and has called in the help of the Asotin County Sheriff's Office to conduct the investigation. "If I weren't, I wouldn't have an outside agency doing an investigation."

Franklin, who has been on leave since Wednesday, denied any wrongdoing in an interview with the Times.

Details of the incident under investigation are scarce. It reportedly occurred on Feb. 11, when Franklin was involved in an altercation with a Waitsburg resident following a near collision. The resident is said to have filed a complaint with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, alleging Franklin lied about the incident in its aftermath.

Since the incident took place in Walla Walla County, it was written up in a Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office report, but that agency declined to release it to the Times, saying it is part of "an open investigation" thus shielding it from public scrutiny for the moment.

Hessler said the complaint over the incident was brought to his attention on May 23 and struck him as potentially unbecoming a law enforcement officer, even off the job.

Franklin said he received a letter from the Sheriff on Tuesday, announcing he was placed on administrative leave "subject to an internal investigation into allegations of misconduct in violation of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office policy."

A deputy in the county for 12 years, Franklin was told to turn in his badge and other job-related items and sit tight until the investigation is completed or until further notice. He was scheduled to be interviewed by Asotin Sheriff's Office representatives on Monday.

"I'm being accused of being untruthful," Franklin said. "I have more to lose from being untruthful. I'm really disappointed in my department and the way it's being handled. I think this is overboard."

Franklin and other observers said citizens regularly file complaints alleging deputies are less than truthful in their reports, many of which lead to adverse charges against the complainants.

County Prosecutor Rea Culwell, who was informed about Hessler's decision as a matter of course, confirmed that such complaints are routine.

What seems to be more unusual in Columbia County is for a deputy to be placed on administrative leave at all, she said. Reportedly, this hasn't happened in recent memory, something Hessler acknowledged.

Off-and-on political opponents in the Sheriff's race, Hessler and Franklin have had an awkward relationship.

Franklin said he was promoted by former Sheriff James LaTour to the rank of captain and the role of chief deputy for the office only to be demoted by Hessler when he was first elected in 2006.

"When you don't have your administration's support, this is what happens," Franklin said. "To go to the extent he (Hessler) went in this particular (complaint) case is amazing to me."