At its October informal hearing, the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission took a series of actions on certification matters, including agreed orders, continuances to formal hearings and a six-month suspension.

Key formal outcomes and procedural moves included: a voluntary surrender accepted for Chris Gulliver; approval of an agreed document related to a case involving a county sheriff’s employee, Jerry Midland; a motion carried to send Sheriff Michael Reagan’s matter to a formal hearing (continued from this informal setting); a six-month suspension of Deputy Albert Gerardo’s POST certificate under an agreed-order framework; a motion of no action on a Memphis officer matter (O'Feely); decertification of Memphis officer Deontay Garland; and default decertifications for several individuals who did not appear after proper service. Several other matters were continued to the Commission’s next formal docket or set for formal hearing dates.

Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that formal hearings were appropriate when criminal investigations or other parallel agency investigations (including TBI involvement) remained underway. Commissioners also used continuances to allow investigators and counsel to present fuller records at a later formal hearing when evidence or witnesses were not yet available.

Several motions during the meeting passed with the voice vote format used at this informal setting (commissioners voting “aye” to carry motions). Where counsel requested formal settings to allow presentation of evidence and cross-examination, the Commission granted continuances so those hearings can occur on the formal calendar.