Lt. Kirk Byram said he “kind of expected” a less desirable workplace environment at the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office after he failed to oust Sheriff Dave Wedding at the polls.

Now Byram knows exactly what that means. Approaching his 22nd year with the sheriff’s office, he has been transferred from a day-shift assignment to second-shift jail commander, effective Jan. 15. Byram’s hours: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

He called it the worst shift imaginable for a father and husband who coaches sports teams involving his two sons, 9 and 11 — and an obvious reprisal for his unsuccessful attempt to defeat Wedding.

But Wedding said his former opponent has only himself to blame. While denying that he intended to harm Byram’s family life, the sheriff said derogatory statements Byram made about him and the agency during the campaign had “a bearing on the decision” to reassign him.

“Kirk has lost a lot of respect from all of my commanding officers, my executive staff and his peers as well, with some of the damning things that he said about the sheriff’s office,” said Wedding, a Democrat who defeated Republican Byram by a 59-41 percent margin on Nov. 4.

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“So many of my employees have zero respect for him — and I can’t have a person leading my agency where they don’t command respect from their commanders and their peers.”

Byram was critical of Wedding during the campaign, calling him “the sheriff of sleaze” and saying Wedding was responsible for Evansville Courier & Press reports about his bankruptcy and a $140,000 loan from his mother that he never repaid. He also compared Wedding to Barney Fife, the comically inept sheriff’s deputy in the 1960s sitcom “The Andy Griffith Show” because Wedding once discharged a weapon in a room with other sheriff’s deputies.

Byram also said Wedding was continuing a “good ol’ boys system” perpetrated by earlier Democratic sheriffs.

This week, Byram said his campaign statements had clearly triggered a spiteful political payback.

“Obviously, they know, since I have kids and I coach and do things like that, obviously that — I’m sure that was planned,” he said, pointing out that he did not notify the Courier & Press of his changed assignment.

Byram has not been demoted from the rank of lieutenant, nor has his $68,447 annual salary been reduced. But he said his new assignment goes against a sheriff’s office custom of giving more senior officers their preferred shifts — a privilege Wedding said does not extend to officers from the rank of lieutenant on up.

Until Jan. 15, Byram is a day-shift motor patrol officer working 6 a.m. until 2 p.m., and a firearms instructor. He also is a former lead emergency vehicle operations instructor who still gives that training, though he no longer leads it.

“It kind of amazes me that they spent ... countless amounts of money on me for this training and schooling and everything to do this stuff, and now they just say they no longer need me,” he said.

Wedding countered that the sheriff’s office has 250 employees, many of whom also are married with children. Only so many of them can work day shift, the sheriff said.

Wedding also pointed to Byram’s replacement on first shift, Lt. Sam Preston, saying Preston has worked second shift for years and also has children. Wedding praised Preston as a respected, dedicated officer who has the respect of his peers.

The sheriff also acknowledged that Preston supported him in this year’s campaign.

“When a person (Byram) has crossed the line and made damning statements about the way the office is ran, there’s a consequence for that,” Wedding said. “And I, as the leader of the office, will assign people that I believe will help me grow and do the best for the citizens of my community.”

His former opponent at least will not be directed to work on weekends or on holidays, Wedding said.

Byram added to his complaints a philosophical reminder that he has to adjust to his new circumstances, like it or not. He said he is “not whining.”

“It’s not the end of the world. We’ll make it work,” he said.

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