Letter: Kleinhelter should resign
As leaders and residents of Dubois County, we believe public officials must be held to the highest ethical and moral standards. The Sheriff’s Office, in particular, depends entirely on the trust of the people it serves. That trust has been compromised under Sheriff Tom Kleinhelter’s leadership.
The Indiana State Board of Accounts identified nearly $17,000 in unauthorized spending from the jail commissary fund, including travel expenses and employee gifts. While those funds were eventually repaid, the audit made clear that there were significant lapses in oversight and internal controls. Public resources must always be handled with transparency and integrity, and these findings fall short of the ethical standards Dubois County residents deserve.
Further, affidavits filed in court described efforts to use the Sheriff’s Donation Fund to offset repayments, along with inconsistencies regarding the handling of travel refunds. These actions raise serious concerns about judgment, accountability, and respect for the public’s trust.
Although a special prosecutor declined to pursue criminal charges, the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board has advanced administrative charges, including fraud, perjury, false informing, and official misconduct, and is weighing whether to revoke Sheriff Kleinhelter’s law enforcement certification. Even the possibility of such action makes it impossible for the office to maintain the public confidence it requires.
This is not about politics. It is about ensuring that every resident of Dubois County can rely on law enforcement that is transparent, accountable, and beyond reproach. For the sake of the Sheriff’s Office, its employees, and the people of this county, we believe Sheriff Kleinhelter should step down immediately.
Our community deserves leadership that reflects integrity, honesty, and a commitment to the highest standards of public service. Nothing less will restore the trust that has been lost.
Dennis Tedrow
Chair, Dubois County Democratic Party
