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Officer out of race for sheriff
Questions about the validity of his college degree remain.
SALEM — City Auditor James Armeni said Monday he’ll keep paying Patrolman Austin French the 12 cents an hour given to officers who have college degrees until the city gets a legal opinion on the issue.
French formally withdrew from the Columbiana County sheriff’s race Monday.
French had filed to run as an Independent against Perry Township Police Chief Raymond Stone, a Republican, and Leetonia Police Chief John Soldano, a Democrat.
City Law Director C. Brooke Zellers last week ruled that French, a classified worker, can’t run for office.
Nancy Cope, the secretary for the Columbiana County Republican Party, has formally challenged French’s education credential.
Sheriff candidates must have supervisory experience or two years of college at an accredited school.
French said that in 1995 he received a bachelor of science degree in law enforcement from LaSalle University in Mandeville, La.
The owner, Thomas Kirk, was running a diploma mill. He was indicted on fraud in 1996 and was sentenced to five years in U.S. federal prison.
French has said that no one ever contacted him about the problems with the university.
French joined the Salem department in 1999. The degree earned him about $2,000 in extra pay since then. The provision is in city’s police contract.
French said in a statement: “I maintain that I have a degree in criminal justice management. There has never been any question challenging the legitimacy of my degree. I put in the time, studied, did the class work, was graded on my work, and paid for my degree. I earned it, and until I receive official notice otherwise I consider the matter closed. I find it somewhat ironic that those calling my education into question have conveniently ignored the fact that I [was] the only candidate in the race with a college education.”
City Service Director Steve Andres has called Zellers for an opinion on whether the degree is valid.
Armeni said that city officials undoubtedly took the degree on “good faith” when French presented a copy when he was hired in 1999.
French also mentioned the degree when he filed an affidavit in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court in January for a required background test sheriff candidates must pass in order to run.
wilkinson@vindy.com