Eight Richmond County School Officers Lose Certifications After Cheating Scandal

Eight Richmond County school police officers lost their state law enforcement certifications. The Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council found they had cheated on mandatory training tests. The council revoked certifications for Nathan Mercer, Kellie Holland, Jacquez Williams, Dorothy Holmon, Brian Jackson, Anthony Dubois, Wallace LeBrane, and Kara Anderson in June.

The case started in September 2024. Education Planners conducted an outside investigation. They discovered Holmon and Anderson sent screenshots of test questions and answers to subordinates through group texts.

Holmon sent a group text on Feb. 16, 2024, to at least seven officers with screenshots from an "Introduction to Human Trafficking" course. "I missed two — y'all make a hundred," Holmon wrote, according to The Augusta Press.

Anderson started another group text on March 11, sending answers to eight officers for a course titled "Decision Making: The Foundation of Reasonable Force." Multiple officers responded with heart and thumbs-up emojis.

POST records show several officers admitted to using shared answers to complete tests. The school system suspended Anderson for three days without pay in April 2024. She also received a letter of reprimand. Holmon got a five-day suspension and a reprimand in August 2024.

A ninth officer, Tajuana Jones, received 24 months of probation in March. She must complete at least two hours of ethics training. Jones acknowledged receiving answers but denied using them. She said she didn't report the cheating out of fear of retaliation.

Holland later took a job at the Richmond County Marshal's Office, while Holmon began working for the Richmond County Sheriff. Holmon resigned from the sheriff's office in January. Revocation prevents the eight from exercising police powers in Georgia unless POST restores their certifications.