Brown County sheriff resigns coroner position amid ongoing feud with local officials

Dave Lunzman no longer serving in role after asking for pay raise

The embattled sheriff of a northeastern South Dakota county will no longer serve in a dual capacity as coroner after his County Commission declined to give him a requested pay increase.

Dave Lunzman, who has served as Brown County’s top lawman since 2023, attempted unsuccessfully to lobby the commission for a pay raise in the job that he has served in since Dec. 2022, according to the Aberdeen Insider. Lunzman had argued for a pay increase of $12,000 for both him and his chief deputy, who he says had assisted him with coroner calls, on top of his sheriff salary he receives that is north of $100,000 a year.

His resignation was effective Dec. 31.

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