Fired JSO Recruit Will Not Have His Name Cleared

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The City has issued its ruling in the case of a JSO recruit who was fired the day after graduating from the police academy.

Six recruits were fired for unbecoming conduct in what is characterized as sexual misconduct at the police academy.

Only one so far has chosen to give his side of the story in a city name-clearing hearing.

Two weeks ago, Travis Brown spent about twenty minutes explaining his account of what happened at the academy earlier this year.

"I told some pretty immature jokes in that class," said Brown, who declined to comment beyond what he told the hearing officer in a hearing open to the public.

Today, Brown learned that the city labor relations officer who reviewed his testimony has ruled with the sheriff's office in their decision to terminate Brown.

He stood no chance of getting his job back, but wanted his name to be cleared. That was denied.

An 80-page report detailed profane jokes and inappropriate behavior. A female recruit complaint launched the probe into the actions of nine recruits, with six recruits fired for unbecoming conduct.

"This report, you know, highlighted the immature jokes that were made, but the one thing (you) don't get from it is the feel and the atmosphere that it was given in and there was definitely no hostility or anything in that class at all," said Brown.

Beside Brown, M.F. Gresham, J.R. Adams, D.J. Johns, T.J. Reimer and H.E. Ward were let go by the department following the investigation.

Police union President Nelson Cuba believes the sheriff's office overreacted in firing the recruits.

"I don't think this rises to the level of getting people, kicking people out of the academy," said Cuba, who sat in on the name-clearing hearing.

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