Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is without an undersheriff, as of Sept. 27. Sheriff David Bartlett announced in a memorandum that Undersheriff Mark Dunspaugh would be resuming his duties as a senior investigator and the position of undersheriff would be left vacant until further notice. “Managing a large law enforcement agency and its employees is a complex job,” Bartlett said in a brief statement. “I understand every in and out relating to this agency and we continue to operate today functionally well to keep Columbia County safe." Dunspaugh had served as acting undersheriff since April after former undersheriff John Davi [DAY-vee] retired. Bartlett said Dunspaugh, a 21-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, made the decision to return to his former position "where he is a huge asset as an investigator." He said, “Anyone who has worked in a law enforcement agency, or any government agency, knows that this happens from time to time.” Bartlett said he is leaving the undersheriff position vacant for now because the county already has a shortage of deputies, and promoting someone at this point would take a deputy off the street. Columbia County Democratic Committee Chair Sam Hodge said, “The sheriff’s office is already understaffed and is having problems recruiting and retaining talent. How can you leave the No. 2 spot empty?” Bartlett, a Republican, is in a re-election battle with Don Krapf, a 23-year veteran of the Sheriff's Department. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.