POST Commission approves multiple waivers, agreed orders and academy transfers

The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission on Aug. 29 approved a series of certification actions, including military‑discharge waivers, criminal‑record waivers, academy transfer and attendance waivers, and multiple agreed orders surrendering or suspending officer certifications.

The actions affect individual applicants and several law‑enforcement agencies across the state and include both approval of hires and procedural steps such as referrals for informal hearings and spot checks of department training records. Commissioners voted on each item during the meeting after staff and agency representatives presented background information.

Among the items approved were military‑discharge and pre‑employment waivers for applicants who presented medical or administrative reasons for separation from prior service; criminal‑record waivers for several current or prospective officers whose convictions were reported as resolved; academy transfer approvals for recruits who withdrew from one academy for employment or medical reasons and sought to attend another; and agreed orders that removed or suspended POST certification for officers who had resigned or were the subject of pending decertification actions.

Commission staff and agency representatives provided details for individual cases during the meeting. For example, Chattanooga Police training director Andrew Peter described a 2017 uncharacterized Army discharge related to a tibia fracture for an applicant who later applied to the Chattanooga force. Local sheriffs and chiefs also spoke for applicants from smaller counties seeking waivers or reconsideration.

Commissioners also directed post investigators to return for unannounced spot checks of several small and rural agencies after staff reviews found part‑time or reserve deputies had incomplete pre‑employment files or training documentation. The commission approved investigators’ recommendations and asked staff to report back on compliance within the coming months.

Votes at a glance (selected items discussed Aug. 29):
- Military discharge waiver — Blake Alexander Hart — approved.
- Military discharge waiver — Samuel Tristan Lance — approved.
- Criminal‑record waiver — Lee Earl Wallace (Memphis Fire Department) — approved; Commissioner Green recorded a recusal for related items.
- Academy transfer/attendance waivers — multiple (including Matthew LaRoy Griffith, Harley Montana Wooten, transfers to Cleveland State) — approved.
- Six‑month waivers for start‑date delays — multiple small agencies (Allgood PD, Union County hires) — approved.
- Agreed orders of surrender/suspension — multiple officers (including Edwin Milan; Clifton Thomas Bellamy; Chad Mitchell Garland; Jared Wayne Wilcutt; Eric Bradley Clem; Joseph Tecumseh Jones) — accepted as presented.
- Referral to informal hearing — matter involving Jeffrey Jeffers (arrest while serving as certified officer) — motion to schedule an informal hearing approved.
- Investigator follow‑up and unannounced spot checks — approved for several small jurisdictions with prior documentation issues.

Commission staff said where court sentences or fines were referenced, applicants had reported completing the orders or stated the charges had been satisfied. Several agencies acknowledged past gaps in pre‑employment files and committed to remedying them; the commission asked staff to verify compliance.

The meeting also included routine administrative items such as approval of the Aug. 29 agenda and the July 18 minutes. Commissioners repeatedly reminded agencies that some decisions, such as suspensions or agreed surrenders, do not erase records: staff said agreed orders and suspensions will be recorded with the national database as applicable.

Less critical follow‑ups include scheduling of informal hearings for matters the commission chose to examine further and administrative housekeeping such as updating conflict‑of‑interest forms for commissioners.

The commission set no statewide policy changes during this meeting but signaled interest in establishing clearer rules for reconsideration requests and for how often agencies should register reserve or part‑time deputies in the POST tracking system. Staff told the commission those topics have been discussed in statewide agency outreach and could appear in proposed rule changes later.

Ending: The commission closed the session after agreeing to follow‑up reports from investigators and staff; several applicants and agency representatives present were informed of the decisions before the meeting adjourned.