By Jon King/jking@whmi.com


The investigation is continuing into the actions by the former head of Livingston County EMS, who has since retired, and his subordinate, who was fired.

Longtime EMS Director Jeff Boyd was placed on unpaid leave October 17th by county officials while they conducted an investigation and record review of the department’s education function. At issue was an investigation by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services of Joseph Hahn, who had been the department’s Education Supervisor. He was fired in October by the county after it was determined he had offered advanced EMT certification for employees who had not actually attended the course.

Boyd was suspended after Hahn reportedly said the former director had received certification for an Advanced Cardiac Life Support course that he had no attended. While that was never confirmed by the county, the state did confirm that Boyd was under active investigation. Boyd, who has also declined to comment, was allowed to retire at the end of 2019 after more than 30 years with the county. According to Lynn Sutfin, the Public Information Officer at MDHHS, they are waiting for an audit to be completed by Livingston County before they can adjudicate Boyd’s case.

Acting County Administrator Cindy Catanach tells WHMI that the investigation into Boyd remains active, but had no other comment. Meanwhile, Sutfin says a second complaint was made against Hahn concerning Continuing Education classes he taught at the Putnam Township Fire Department, although there is no indication of any wrongdoing on the part of the department itself. However, documents obtained by WHMI through the Freedom of Information Act indicate that Hahn was accused of arriving at class, picking someone he considered “pretty good at that topic, leave the curriculum” and pre-signed verification sheets and then leave.

Another complaint alleged he held an International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) at the county’s EMS center in Howell Township. The complainant alleged it only covered “a couple of the required ITLS lecture modules,” only lasted four of the scheduled six hours, contained no practical exam while the written exam was done as a group. It was also alleged Hahn spent most of the class time telling “personal stories of when he was a medic.” Sutfin says their investigation of Hahn is also still open pending adjudication.