(TheRedWire.com) – There are very specific credentials required to serve in law enforcement, and for a good reason. Society expects police officers and sheriffs to have a working knowledge of the law and the rules governing their complex work. In at least one location, it appears if an individual wants to be in law enforcement desperately enough, they can buy a position.
The executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board lost his job after an internal review implicated him in a significant conflict of interest. In 2019, Brent Fischer provided billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffet’s son a certificate to serve as an interim county sheriff for 14 months.
Brent Fischer gave the certificate to Howard Buffett, who had served as interim sheriff of Macon County for 14 months.
The qualifications for sheriff were that they had no criminal record, lived in the county for over a year, and were a U.S. citizen.https://t.co/VxbRVcEPbD
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 18, 2021
An inspector general’s report revealed that Buffett donated $10,000 for a canine training program administered by Fischer. Three hours later, Fischer gave the young Buffett the certificate, which allowed him to serve as a part-time law enforcement officer and part-time undersheriff.
Fischer contended the report that led to his firing didn’t provide a specific rule, regulation, law, or norm that he violated. The disgraced law enforcement professional said his performance should have been evaluated against objective and accepted standards.
Buffett is no stranger to law enforcement. He previously served in volunteer and auxiliary sheriff’s offices in Arizona and Illinois. He completed most training courses towards certification but is short of the 560 hours needed to obtain it.
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