Former Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Tim Leak was put on leave for almost two years for violating policies, earning more than $200,000 without having to show up for work. The sheriff’s office announced in February that Leak would retire Feb. 28 and receive an additional payment of $33,330.

It seemed peculiar. It raised many questions. Sheriff Shane Nelson promised us he would release the investigative file so the public could understand. The records were released April 16.

Nelson made the right call to reach an agreement to bring Leak’s employment to an end.

The hundreds of pages in the file contain multiple examples of apparent management dysfunction by Capt. Scott Beard and Leak acting as Beard’s No. 2. Some members of staff called them “momma and poppa” because they were always together. Beard is now in prison for embezzling more than $200,000. He also bullied and harassed subordinates.

Leak was not charged with breaking the law. He was accused of violating sheriff’s office policies about records, pay, harassment and more. The investigation was closed in February with no findings of violations.

But according to the investigative interviews and/or allegations, Leak practiced leadership through ridicule, bullying and threats. It’s not like one member of staff said that. Staff member after staff member said similar things. He allegedly told staff to submit inaccurate records of overtime, limiting the amount of overtime collected — even if they worked more. Leak also didn’t fill out a report about tires missing from the sheriff’s office that Beard asked him to investigate. There was some speculation later the tires would have fit on Beard’s truck. Beard told Leak he would take care of the report.

When Leak was interviewed in December as part of the investigation, he claimed he was innocent, claimed he was already punished by being demoted to patrol and filed a raft of complaints against his colleagues. Nelson did the right thing to bring Leak’s relationship with the sheriff’s office to a close. Maybe it would have been nice to get rid of him quicker. Maybe it would have been nice not to give Leak $33,330 to go. But it’s now clear why Leak was put on leave and why Nelson thought it was necessary to get rid of him.