Law director to decide validity of cop’s degree

By D.A. Wilkinson

The judge said the courts didn’t check the affidavit.

SALEM — City Auditor James Armeni said he will ask for a legal opinion on whether a patrolman’s college degree is valid.

The request will go to Law Director C. Brooke Zellers.

Armeni said Thursday the city’s contract with the police department provides extra pay for officers with a bachelor’s degree.

Patrolman Austin French dropped out of the race for Columbiana County sheriff this week after city officials said he couldn’t run because he is a classified worker.

Nancy Cope, the secretary for the county Republican Party, also filed a formal challenge at the county elections board, questioning his degree.

French was running as an independent candidate against a Republican and a Democrat. Sheriff candidates must have supervisory experience or a two-year college degree.

But French has been receiving 12 cents more an hour because he obtained a bachelor of science degree in 1995 from LaSalle University in Mandeville, La.

The following year, the school’s owner was indicted for fraud and eventually sentenced to five years in a federal prison.

Armeni said the contract requires degrees be from a “bona fide” institution.

“Is his credential authentic? We don’t know,” Armeni said.

To run, French had to file an affidavit in common pleas court which stated his background, including his degree from LaSalle University.

Judge C. Ashley Pike said, “We examined it, and it seemed appropriate enough to go the board of elections.”

He said the court staff does not check the facts in the affidavit. “It’s rather a perfunctory procedure,” he said.

The board of elections was the place to challenge a candidacy, he added.

The Council for High Education Accreditation in Washington, D.C., lists institutions in various states that are not accredited. One of those is LaSalle. The information does not state whether the university had ever been accredited.

A council spokesman did not return a call.

An Internet search for LaSalle produced a phone number and address for the university. The phone number turned out to be that of the Louisiana Board of Health.

wilkinson@vindy.com