A Clark County sheriff’s lieutenant is under scrutiny after social media posts in which he claimed he would refuse to help Democratic voters, sparking public outrage. Lt. John Rodgers has since apologized and said he has no recollection of making the posts, attributing them to medication side effects.
Rodgers, a 20-year veteran and Road Patrol Supervisor, posted on Facebook that he would consider an individual’s political affiliation when responding to calls for service.
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“I am sorry. If you support the Democrat Party I will not help you,” he wrote in one post.
“The problem is that I know which of you supports the Democratic Party, and I will not help you survive the end of days,” another post said.
In another post, Rodgers also suggested that people should “provide proof of who you voted for” to receive his help.
The posts, which circulated widely with over 250,000 shares, led to a statement from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, which condemned Rodgers’ comments as “highly inappropriate.”
“The community has a right to be upset over the actions of Lt. Rodgers, and he, as well as the Sheriff’s Office in general, will have to work even harder to replenish the trust of members of our community,” Chief Deputy Mike Young said.
An internal investigation revealed Rodgers claimed no memory of posting or deleting the messages, noting that he had been prescribed sleep aids, which he said can cause “out of character” communication as a “documented side effect.”
“I do not remember writing these posts or deleting any posts,” Rodgers said in official conversation with supervisors.
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In a letter to the Springfield News-Sun, Rodgers apologized to the community.
“I know I cannot apologize enough… I accept responsibility for the messages, and I deeply regret making them,” he said.
Rodgers explained that he deactivated his Facebook account, stopped taking his medication and reached out to the local commission, community partners and the NAACP to apologize.
Rodgers received a written reprimand for violating the department’s social media policy and remains on duty.
A SHERIFF’S LIEUTENANT IS UNDER FIRE IN OHIO AFTER POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT HE WOULD REFUSE TO HELP PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR DEMOCRATS IN THE ELECTION. THE COMMENTS IGNITED CONTROVERSY AND RAISED SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC TRUST IN LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF’S LIEUTENANT JOHN RODGERS… A 20-YEAR VETERAN OF THE DEPARTMENT… CURRENTLY SERVING AS ROAD PATROL SUPERVISOR… IS NOW AT THE CENTER OF AN INVESTIGATION AFTER HIS SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS WENT VIRAL. SOME OF THEM SHARED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TIMES. IN THE POSTS, RODGERS MADE IT CLEAR HE WOULD CONSIDER A PERSON’S VOTING HISTORY BEFORE RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR HELP.
SAYING: “I AM SORRY… IF YOU SUPPORT THE DEMOCRAT PARTY I WILL NOT HELP YOU.”
RODGERS REPORTEDLY POSTED THIS MESSAGE, AND IT WASN’T THE ONLY ONE. HE WENT FURTHER, POSTING STATEMENTS THAT SOME ARE CALLING DISTURBING… LIKE:
“THE PROBLEM IS THAT I KNOW WHICH OF YOU SUPPORTS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND I WILL NOT HELP YOU SURVIVE THE END OF DAYS.”
ANOTHER POST INDICATED THAT IF ANYONE NEEDED HIS HELP, THEY WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF WHO THEY VOTED FOR FIRST.
AFTER THE COMMENTS CAME TO LIGHT, THE CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ISSUED A PUBLIC STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE POSTS AND APOLOGIZING FOR THE BEHAVIOR, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF RECENT CONTROVERSIES WITH SPRINGFIELD.
IN AN INVESTIGATIVE FILE OBTAINED BY WHIO… LIEUTENANT RODGERS DEFENDED HIMSELF IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH SUPERVISORS… CLAIMING HE DOESN’T REMEMBER POSTING OR DELETING THE MESSAGES. HE CITED PRESCRIBED SLEEP AIDS AS A POSSIBLE REASON, EXPLAINING THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE CAUSED “OUT OF CHARACTER” COMMUNICATION.
RODGERS LATER ISSUED A PUBLIC APOLOGY. HE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT HE DEACTIVATED HIS SOCIAL MEDIA, STOPPED TAKING THE MEDICATION, AND REACHED OUT TO THE NAACP TO APOLOGIZE.
DESPITE THE POSTS AND PUBLIC REACTION, RODGERS RECEIVED ONLY A WRITTEN REPRIMAND FOR VIOLATING THE DEPARTMENT’S SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY. WHILE THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THEY’LL WORK TO REGAIN THE COUNTY’S TRUST… HE REMAINS ON DUTY.
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