An Ohio sheriff’s lieutenant is in hot water for a social media post in which he said he would consider a caller’s political stance before responding to emergency calls.
Clark County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant John Rodgers made several Facebook posts, some shared more than 250,000 times, saying where a caller stands in the political realm matters when they call for an emergency. “I am sorry. If you support the Democratic Party, I will not help you,” Rodgers wrote.
“The problem is that I know which of you supports the Democratic Party, and I will not help you survive the end of days.”
In another post, he mentioned having callers will have to “require proof of who you voted for if you ask me for help. Weapons and ammo are not cheap,” Rodgers wrote on Oct. 20, according to the Springfield News-Sun.
Chief Deputy Mike Young released a statement that Rodgers’ comments were “highly inappropriate” and “do not reflect the Sheriff’s Office’s service delivery to all residents, regardless of their voting preference.”
While he said the department would work diligently to regain the trust of its constituents, Young said Rodgers’ actions may be a result of a medical issue.
An investigation found that Rodgers, who has worked for the department since 2002, has been prescribed sleeping medication, which the lieutenant claims causes “some of my communication to be ‘out of character’, which is a documented side effect.”
“I do not remember writing these posts or deleting any posts,” Rodgers said.
The Sheriff’s Office issued an official apology for the deputy’s behavior and submitted a written reprimand for violating the department’s social media policy. Rodgers will remain on active duty.
Young tied the most recent event to the ongoing strain in Springfield, Ohio, and Clark County over Haitian immigration, which Ohio Senator and vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance has openly pushed a narrative that they are a danger to the Ohio community.
“We’ve been in this battle over the last few months, with the attacks on the Haitian community and other immigrants, and we protect people’s rights, and we don’t support the conduct to the contrary,” Young said.
“I can’t go back in time and take that post away; the lieutenant made the post, and he has received consequences for that.”
After apologizing for his actions, Rodgers deleted the posts, deactivated his Facebook account, and paused taking medication. In an attempt to rectify the matter, he reached out to the Clark County Commission, community partners and the NAACP in hopes of having conversations regarding the posts.
“I know it will be difficult for the public to trust me, but I will do everything in my power to start mending that trust. I apologize from the bottom of my heart and want to assure our community I will always serve to the best of my ability and strive to do better,” Rodgers wrote in a letter he shared with the News-Sun.
“I want to assure the citizens in our community that I have always treated everyone with dignity and respect no matter our differences and will strive to show them I can do better.”
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