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Post Commission approves change-of-academy waiver after contested paperwork for Deputy Jason Roberts
Summary
After extended questioning about whether orientation counted as starting an academy and discrepancies on application forms, the commission approved a change-of-academy waiver for Deputy Jason Anthony Roberts and asked staff to tighten documentation procedures.
The Post Commission on Aug. 16 debated a contested change-of-academy waiver for Deputy Jason Anthony Roberts that generated extensive questions about academy orientation, application accuracy and who was informed about earlier training.
Cleveland State Community College’s academy director told the commission the academy had not been informed Roberts attended a Toledo orientation and that Cleveland State would not ‘rubber stamp’ a change-of-academy request without proper documentation. Director Hodges said academies routinely include orientation and sign paperwork on students’ first academy day and stressed the academy’s recordkeeping practices: “We make it very clear in the orientation ... that that is the start of the basic training academy,” he said.
Investigator Cantrell reviewed agency and academy records that showed a Toledo orientation and a voluntary withdrawal form; Cantrell said Deputy Roberts had marked on some academy documents that he had not attended a prior academy, raising questions about application consistency and two recommendation letters that appeared to share the same handwriting. Roberts addressed the commission and said he withdrew from the earlier academy for family reasons and took responsibility for errors on his paperwork: “I take full responsibility ... it is ignorance in one way and, in another, just me trying to get through the stressors,” he said.
Commissioners discussed options if a waiver were denied, including the consequence that a candidate would need to repeat an entire academy. After hearing from Cleveland State, the hiring agency and Deputy Roberts, the commission moved and approved the change-of-academy request; members asked staff to ensure clearer academy documentation and to review how orientation is presented to recruits so future discrepancies are reduced.
The commission noted that if the waiver had been denied, Roberts would have had to re-attend a full academy; because the waiver was approved, his August 2, 2024 graduation from Cleveland State and subsequent rehiring were permitted to stand for certification purposes.
The vote on the waiver was recorded by voice; no roll-call tally was included in the meeting record.
