Osage County leaders ask sheriff to resign

The Osage County Commission has asked Sheriff Michael Dixon to step down, a day after he lost his peace officer’s license. On Tuesday commissioners drafted a solution to request his resignation.

If Dixon refuses to step down, they also passed a resolution to take steps to force him out of office, which would require involving the state attorney general.

When the commission tried contacting the sheriff on his phone or at the office, they were unable to reach him.

“We’re working on it but since he left and I haven’t seen him, we’re going to work on trying to get him to resign. We’re trying to clean things up, get this air cleared I guess,” said Dave Dudenhoeffer, Presiding Commissioner.

Sheriff Dixon’s peace officer license was revoked on Monday. According to Mike O’Connell with the Department of Public Safety, that means Dixon can no longer make an arrest in Missouri, and he is not commissioned by any law enforcement agency.

As of right now, it is still unclear if Dixon will be able to perform any administrative duties as sheriff.

Dixon has 30 days to appeal the decision made on Monday by Andrea Spillars, the director of public safety.

The decision comes six weeks after a disciplinary hearing in mid-December. That hearing was about the multiple criminal charges Dixon faced from 2013, including felony tampering with a motor vehicle and misdemeanor charges of sexual misconduct, assault, stalking and harassment.

Dixon pleaded not guilty to all charges except one, admitted he harassed a Belle police officer.

The revocation is effective immediately, but Dixon still sits as sheriff. If he is stripped of his badge, the department would need to work with the court to find a replacement to put on the ballot.

Dixon did not return our calls and neither did the Osage County Sheriff’s Office. The Belle Police Department declined to comment.