Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins, charged with extortion, will step away his position until the federal case against him is resolved, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said Wednesday.

“This is the right step for the Sheriff’s Office and the public as a whole, as it avoids prolonged proceedings before the Supreme Judicial Court,” Campbell said.

Governor Maura Healey agreed, calling the allegations against Tompkins serious.

“The Suffolk County Sheriff is responsible for managing more than a thousand employees, hundreds of inmates and programs that are essential to public safety and rehabilitation,” Healey said. “It is a full-time job that demands full time attention. The people of Massachusetts need to be able to trust in the integrity of the criminal justice system and

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