Kevin Creed, a post investigator, told the Post Commission on Dec. 12 that an inquiry into the Erwin (transcript also uses “Irwin”) Police Department found fabricated training records for 2024 that had been submitted to the commission for salary supplements.

Creed said his review found that range rosters and firearm scores were fraudulently entered and submitted by then‑chief Tilson and a firearms instructor, Captain Edwards, and that 16 of 17 officers listed for a salary supplement were not eligible. "Out of the 17 officers that were submitted for salary supplement, 16 of them were fraudulently obtained at $800 and were paid that," Creed said. That figure corresponds to about $12,800 in supplements paid to officers based on records the investigator described as false.

The commission discussed next steps and whether to pursue civil repayment or leave restitution to other agencies. Commissioner Green urged the Post to seek reimbursement from the city rather than individual officers, saying the city should "reimburse the state." Creed confirmed the town of Erwin has conducted an internal inquiry and that state authorities including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) were involved or expected to be involved in parts of the matter.

On motions from the floor, commissioners voted to refer Chief Tilson and Captain Edwards to the informal hearing committee for further review and possible formal action. The commission also voted to keep the affected officers "in compliance" while other entities consider repayment and criminal investigation; one commissioner explicitly excluded Captain Edwards from eligibility for administrative waivers.

Creed told commissioners the department has since taken steps to get current with training for 2025 and 2026 and that some officers completed firearms and academy classes after the inquiry. The investigator recommended informal hearings for the supervisors implicated; commissioners approved that recommendation by voice vote.

The commission did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript; motions were approved by voice vote. The next procedural step is for the informal committee to schedule hearings for the referred supervisors and for investigators to report back to the commission.