A Durango officer fired over “dishonesty” kept his state law enforcement certification and went on to work as a deputy for a neighboring sheriff’s office, slipping through one of Colorado’s most glaring oversight gaps.
The case of Deputy Jermal Ball shows how timing, paperwork and tightly written reporting rules can let officers with checkered records stay in uniform. Ball’s personnel files detail internal discipline and a high breath-alcohol test result before he ever landed in Archuleta County.
Durango officials terminated Ball in mid-2022 after an internal investigation concluded he had been dishonest. Police records also note a breath-alcohol test reading of .157 and that, after that incident, officers placed Ball in the care of his son. Because Ball was not a sworn Durango officer at the time of the disciplinary action, the department did not file a termination report with the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training board, better known as POST. He was later hired as an Archuleta County deputy and listed as POST-certified on May 25, 2022. Reporting by The Denver Post also notes that POST Director Erik Bourgerie wrote a post on April 21 stating Ball could keep his certification.
Why the POST Fix Can Miss Problem Officers
Under state law, “untruthfulness” is supposed to be a clear trigger to strip an officer’s certification, and POST runs the statewide database that is meant to flag any officer who has lost their credentials. But the system is only as good as its inputs.
Reporting by the Colorado News Collaborative found that the public POST database has glitches and depends heavily on local departments to self-report misconduct, which leaves some sizable holes in the safety net, according to COLab. The Colorado POST website outlines the agency’s role in certifying and decertifying peace officers, handling complaints, and operating within the Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Section.
Local Officials’ Explanation
Durango leaders told reporters they never notified POST about Ball’s firing because, by the time the internal process concluded, he was not sworn in as an officer. That technical detail was enough to keep the case from landing on POST’s radar.
Across the county line, Archuleta County records later show Ball was commended for making dozens of drunk-driving arrests in 2024. At the same time, his personnel files also contain multiple 2022 driving-related disciplinary entries and a 2008 diversion agreement out of New Mexico.
Community critics and some lawmakers argue that situations like Ball’s highlight why Colorado’s much-touted reforms after 2020 still have not shut down the revolving door that lets problematic officers move from one badge to the next.
Legal Implications
Under the 2019 reform legislation, POST can revoke an officer’s certification for untruthfulness and certain criminal convictions. But that authority is not automatic. It requires a formal report from a local agency, a POST investigation, and, often, a lengthy administrative review.
Investigations into POST’s rollout of its powers and its database performance have shown that narrow legal criteria and limited resources can leave officers certified even after serious local discipline, as documented by Rocky Mountain PBS.
The Ball case has reopened debate over whether POST needs clearer authority or more staff to act when departments do not report terminations. Journalists and reform advocates say they will be keeping close tabs on whether the Attorney General’s office or lawmakers move to tighten the rules after this latest round of reporting.
