Maine Governor Mills decides not to remove controversial sheriff from office

Recently, Maine Gov. Janet Mills faced a challenging decision regarding the fate of Oxford County Sheriff Christopher Wainwright, who was accused of various improprieties, including the transfer of guns from an evidence locker to a gun dealer without proper documentation. Despite these serious allegations, Governor Mills decided not to remove Sheriff Wainwright from office, citing a lack of “extraordinary circumstances” necessary for such a drastic action.

The accusations against Sheriff Wainwright also included failures to ensure proper certifications for school resource officers and encouraging a deputy to go easy on an individual stopped for a traffic infraction. However, Governor Mills carefully reviewed the evidence and ultimately determined that the situation did not warrant the removal of the sheriff.

It is worth noting that this decision does not absolve Sheriff Wainwright of his mistakes. Governor Mills acknowledged that he had made errors and acted inappropriately at times. Despite this, she did not believe that these mistakes rose to the level of justifying his removal from office.

One of the key factors in Governor Mills’ decision was the finding that the issue with school resource officer certifications predated Sheriff Wainwright’s tenure. Additionally, there was no clear evidence that the sheriff had personally benefited from the questionable gun transaction. These factors played a role in the governor’s determination that the sheriff should not be removed from his position.

Furthermore, Governor Mills addressed the incident where Sheriff Wainwright had intervened on behalf of an acquaintance whose sister was suffering from cancer. While the sheriff’s actions in this situation were deemed inappropriate, they were not deemed illegal or unethical. Additionally, Governor Mills noted that while the sheriff’s response to a deputy questioning his intervention was wrong, it did not establish a pattern of unacceptable behavior.

The request for Sheriff Wainwright’s removal came from Oxford County commissioners in February, prompting Governor Mills to carefully consider the evidence and make a difficult decision. Under the Maine Constitution, the governor has the sole authority to remove elected sheriffs, making this a rare and serious matter for consideration.

Ultimately, Governor Mills’ decision not to remove Sheriff Wainwright sends a message that while mistakes were made, they did not reach the threshold of warranting removal from office. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability and transparency in law enforcement, as well as the delicate balance required when addressing allegations of misconduct within the criminal justice system.