POST investigator says Claiborne County submitted fabricated firearms rosters; commission requires remedial actions

The Tennessee POST Commission on April 17 reviewed an investigator's report concluding Claiborne County submitted inaccurate firearms rosters and altered electronic records when audited, and it directed the county to correct records and face informal follow-up.

Post investigator Kevin Creed told commissioners an unannounced visit and subsequent records review found the county's firearms rosters and lesson plan were either missing or created after requests from POST staff. Creed said the electronic roster produced appeared to have been created or modified the morning it was submitted, and later the county's firearms instructors produced handwritten rosters that documented the actual qualification events and scores.

"He lied to me about having the records ... he produced submitted the post fraudulent documents," Creed reported. The investigator said the training roster contained fabricated scores and dates that did not match instructors' handwritten rosters.

Claiborne County representatives acknowledged the problem, said the staff member previously responsible for training records had resigned, and described steps to correct the records. Chief Deputy and deputy representatives said the county has since appointed new training staff, sent personnel to the GDI (General Departmental Instructor) class, and submitted an accurate 2024 firearms lesson plan and roster for POST review.

The commission voted to take no immediate decertification action against the county; instead it moved the personnel matter for informal review, approved the county's 2024 firearms lesson plan as submitted to allow processing of salary supplements for deputies who had properly completed training, and directed the POST investigator to continue follow-up. Commissioners noted that POST could refer potential criminal matters to the district attorney if warranted but did not make that referral at the meeting.

Speakers

- Kevin Creed, POST Investigator - Chief Deputy (Claiborne County Sheriff's Office), present in meeting - Deputy Jake Williams, Claiborne County (newly assigned GDI candidate)

Authorities

[]

Actions

[{"kind":"motion","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"claiborne-investigation-2025-04-17"},"motion":"No action for Claiborne County; move related personnel matter to informal review; approve Claiborne County 2024 firearms lesson plan","mover":"Commissioner Wright (moved by record)","second":"Commissioner Little","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"Commission voted by voice; action carries remediation and informal oversight rather than decertification."},"outcome":"approved","notes":"POST investigator to continue review; county submitted corrected lesson plan and instructors' rosters."}]

Clarifying details

[{"category":"fabrication","detail":"Investigator found electronic roster appeared generated/altered the morning it was submitted and that scores/dates were not accurate; handwritten instructor rosters later provided matched actual shoots","source_speaker":"Kevin Creed"},{"category":"personnel_change","detail":"Lieutenant responsible for records resigned; county appointed new training officer and sent two staff to GDI class","source_speaker":"Chief Deputy, Claiborne County"},{"category":"remediation","detail":"Commission approved 2024 firearms lesson plan and will allow salary supplement processing for deputies with validated records","source_speaker":"Kevin Creed"}]

Proper_names

[{"name":"Claiborne County Sheriff's Office","type":"agency"}]

Provenance

{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"4812.5254","local_start":0,"local_end":120,"evidence_excerpt":"Kevin Craig, post investigator. This was brought up as an initial audit, with Claiborne County. They were deficient on, being late to middle of 2023 for their salary supplement ...","tc_start":"01:20:12","tc_end":"01:21:12","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"5576.07","local_start":0,"local_end":90,"evidence_excerpt":"I'll make a motion that we do no action for Claiborne County and for Tim Randall that we move him to a informal and also add investigators submitted to the agreement. Commissioner Little second.","tc_start":"01:32:56","tc_end":"01:33:26","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

salience":{"overall":0.85,"overall_justification":"Investigation alleges falsified official training rosters used to secure salary supplements; implications for certification integrity and possible criminal exposure.","impact_scope":"regional","impact_scope_justification":"Findings affect Claiborne County deputies' salary supplements and may affect statewide trust in training records.","attention_level":"high","attention_level_justification":"Fabricated official training documents raise regulatory, administrative and possible criminal concerns.","novelty":0.60,"novelty_justification":"Discovery of fabricated records in training files is a significant integrity issue.","timeliness_urgency":0.70,"timeliness_urgency_justification":"Commission required corrective action and continued investigation; outreach to DA possible.","legal_significance":0.70,"legal_significance_justification":"Falsifying government training records may trigger decertification or criminal referral; commission chose informal review and remediation at meeting."} ,