Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins is taking a leave of office while federal extortion charges against him are pending, Gov. Healey announced this morning.

Mark Lawhorne (seen at right) will take over as "special sheriff" in the interim. Lawhorne had served as an assistant superintendent with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department.

In a statement, Healey said:

The allegations against Sheriff Tompkins are serious. The Suffolk County Sheriff is responsible for managing more than a thousand employees, hundreds of inmates and programs that are essential to public safety and rehabilitation.

It is a full-time job that demands full time attention. The people of Massachusetts need to be able to trust in the integrity of the criminal justice system and that their elected officials are full

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