POST Commission reinstates Unicoi County officer; votes to send him to transition school after debate
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Summary
After a lengthy debate, the POST Commission voted to reinstate a formerly decertified Unicoi County officer and directed him to take transition school rather than the full academy; the panel also approved several settlements and accepted other surrenders and rescissions.
The Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission voted March 20 to reinstate a former Unicoi County officer whose certification had been decertified by default and to require him to attend transition school as a condition of returning to duty.
Jonathan Demeris, who told the commission he resigned from Erwin Police Department in 2021 after raising concerns about his former chief, asked the commission to reinstate his certification and permit him to attend transition school rather than the full basic academy. Demeris described his military service and law-enforcement career and asked for an opportunity to return to duty close to home.
"I'm 59 years old as of today," Demeris said in testimony. "I've served my country proudly. I've served in Iraq. I am a combat decorated veteran. ... I'm throwing myself on the mercy of the committee, and I would like to obtain a waiver to take the transition school and not particularly the academy." (Jonathan Demeris, speaker)
Commissioners debated precedent and process at length. Several members said historical practice had been to require reinstated officers to repeat the full basic academy after a default decertification; others argued the public revelations about the former administration in Erwin and supporting testimony from Unicoi leadership warranted a tailored remedy.
"We have umpteen dozen votes and decisions made based upon that historically in a similar case," one commissioner said when urging adherence to precedent. Another commissioner, citing the man's veteran status and changed circumstances, said he would support sending Demeris to transition school so he could return to work.
After prolonged discussion, a motion to reinstate Demeris passed and a subsequent motion directed that he be assigned to transition school (rather than full basic) as the path back to certification. The commission recorded the roll-call and the motions carried.
The meeting also included other formal discipline and settlement items: the commission accepted an agreed surrender from Sean Sajak, approved an agreed suspension for a Todd Dortz matter pending criminal litigation, accepted a settlement proposal for Juan Pablo Lugo Perez (three-year period with conditions including transition school and other requirements), and approved a settlement proposal for Michael Vest involving probationary conditions and specified training.
In a separate case involving Memphis, commissioners voted to rescind a prior request for decertification and to reinstate officer Carrington Hite after the city's arbitrator ordered reinstatement and the department presented corrective steps and legal context.
The commission concluded with staff and legal reports and a motion to adjourn.
