Mathis said she filed a complaint about the camera with the sheriff’s office on Monday morning but claims an investigation began only after she talked with reporters.

Bissell said the sheriff, Dave Marshak, wrote the social media post himself Wednesday night to apologize for the actions of the deputy. Marshak’s message was, in part:

“While the deputies were familiar with the residence, and thought they may be back for the subject, it is not an excuse for the action(s) of covering the camera. Again, we offer no valid excuse for the actions of our Deputy.”

Marshak called Mathis to apologize Wednesday night, about the time his apology was posted on social media.

“We apologize for this incident, and we will address the issue to reduce the likelihood of this happening again,” the department’s Facebook post said. “Again, no excuses from us, but a simple apology to the homeowner and our community. We will do better.”

Marshak told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday that the investigation was “wrapping up” but not complete.

“We take the actions seriously,” he said. “It’s a personnel issue, and the deputy is still employed. He has been with us for a little more than a year after graduating the academy and has undoubtedly learned from this poor decision. Regardless, we expect more from our deputies, and will continue to work to build the confidence and trust of our community.”

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