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Tennessee POST Commission approves multiple waivers, removes LEOSA fee and denies settlement offer in decertification case
Summary
At its June meeting the POST Commission approved several pre-employment and in-service waivers, voted to remove a $10 LEOSA administrative fee, and declined a settlement offered in the decertification appeal of Sgt. Darby Drinker, sending that matter to a formal hearing.
The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission approved multiple waivers for recruits and in-service training, moved several certification matters, and voted to deny a proposed settlement in an off-duty response decertification case during its June meeting.
Most immediately, the Commission approved an amended agenda and then approved a series of administrative items by voice vote, including pre-employment criminal-record waivers for recruits presented by hiring agencies. Crossville recruit Liam Parvin told commissioners the November 2025 public-intoxication charge was "an honest mistake" and said he has taken steps to prevent a repeat; the Commission approved his waiver with one commissioner recording a nay. Giles County Sheriff Joe Burrows asked for a waiver for Caleb Bruce related to earlier contempt/order-of-protection convictions; commissioners questioned the time span and the record and ultimately approved action based on the agency’s recommendation.
Commissioners also approved in-service waivers for South Pittsburgh Police Department after Chief Wayne Jordan said the department had completed more than 40 hours of training but that two statutory courses had not been POST-certified. Staff and commissioners agreed the missed courses were due to administrative mislabeling and approved the waiver so officers could remain in compliance.
On administrative fees, Assistant Director Cooper told the Commission that LEOSA (Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act) applications can now be processed electronically and that the historic $10 administrative fee could be removed; the Commission voted to eliminate the fee to streamline electronic processing.
In other business, counsel Xander Newburg presented a settlement offer for Sergeant Darby Drinker of the Perry County Sheriff’s Department that would have preserved certification under conditions including a 12-month probation and mandatory training. Commissioners raised concerns about an allegation of a cover-up in the underlying crash investigation and unresolved questions about the lieutenant involved. A motion to deny the settlement and proceed to a formal hearing carried by voice vote.
What’s next: POST staff will implement approved waivers and remove the LEOSA fee from electronic processing. The Drinker case will proceed to a formal decertification hearing; staff were asked to relay the commission’s vote to the parties.
