Kentucky man with one hand turned down for job on police force will keep fighting
LOUISVILLE, Ky. July 6 2021 Law enforcement is a tough job, with not enough people wanting to go into the field, but a Kentucky man who really wants to be an officer was told he can’t, even though he’s met all the requirements.
“My dad was a deputy sheriff in Breck County,” said Chance Anthony.
Dressed in uniform even as a kid, Anthony had the same dream. He says, “I’ve always wanted to be a police officer, as long as I can remember.”
And Anthony thought his dream was about to come true. Born without his right hand, he had requested certain accommodations to complete the police academy training.
“There was a little bit of an issue with the handcuffing, with the prosthetic, that I had to overcome, but again, I passed all the tests,” Anthony said.
Anthony started training in October of 2019.
“He got the Coordinator’s Award, the PT Physical Fitness Award,” said Alex Payne, the former Commissioner of the Department of Criminal Justice Training. “He not only completed the training cycle, but he also excelled.”
The agency trains more than 8,000 Kentucky peace officers throughout the state each year.
Anthony called Payne to thank him for the opportunity, and Payne says he told Anthony that Anthony did it all with his hard work.
“The last thing I told him, give me a call tomorrow after you graduate and let me know how it goes,” Payne recalled.
During graduation in March of 2020 — just before he was about to walk on stage — Anthony was told he would not be getting his certificate, even though he passed all the requirements.
He would then walk across the graduation stage with an envelope, with no certificate inside.
“I know there are officers out there with one hand in different states,” Anthony said. “For Kentucky to say, ‘just kidding’ and take it away from you, you can’t be told you can’t do a job when there are stories out there with people who are doing this job.”
Documents of the final roster obtained by WDRB had listed Anthony as “graduated,” but were then changed to “departed failure.”
Payne says it’s “The worst case of discrimination due to a disability, I’ve ever seen in my life.”
While the decision was under appeal, Anthony was granted a waiver and worked at the Leitchfield Police Department.
But then in early June, the DOCJT made a decision and refused his certificate.
The DOCJT released a statement saying it “has a responsibility to ensure trainees are able to protect themselves and their community and to meet all state mandated requirements. These requirements provide the necessary skills to prepare officers for real life scenarios in order to protect the diverse communities they serve.
Multiple instructors raised concerns about Chance Anthony’s ability to meet these critical requirements. After a hearing in which both sides presented evidence and questioned witnesses, an administrative hearing officer recommended that DOCJT’s denial of graduation be affirmed, under state law. The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet adopted that recommendation in a final order. Mr. Anthony has appealed the final order to Circuit Court. Due to pending litigation, DOCJT cannot provide further comment.”
Then Leitchfield terminated Anthony’s employment.
“Chance Anthony was an employee of the Leitchfield Police Department from 7/1/2019 to 6/9/2021. He did a really good job for the department. If he gets his certificate from DOCJT and we have an opening, we will definitely consider him for a position,” says Leitchfield Police Det. Kevin Smith.
Leitchfield Police say once Anthony was hired, he did ride-alongs as a certified employee until the academy started. At the graduation in 2020, when he was told that he couldn’t pass, an appeal was made then. At that point he was granted a waiver in order to work for Leitchfield while it was going through the appeal process. Once the decision was made on June 6 not to award a graduation certificate, that’s when he was let go by Leitchfield.
“It was really disappointing when you have to turn in your badge and your gun in,” Anthony said.
And it took an emotional toll on him and his family.
“In Leitchfield, we wear the shiny buttons and everything,” he said.
He says his kids enjoyed taking pictures and loved seeing him in uniform.
“Fortunately, 3 and 4, they really don’t know what’s going on, but that’s pretty hard,” he said. “For my dad, he’s always wanted me to be a part of it, especially my wife, she’s always been there for me. She’s never said no.”
Anthony took to Facebook after he was no longer allowed to be an officer, and he has received a lot of support from the community. He has appealed the final order for his certificate to Circuit Court, and has also filed a civil lawsuit. He now works security at Ford and as a part-time dispatcher in Breckinridge County.
“That’s the conversation I have with my wife,” Anthony says. “When is it time to stop? And the answer is: it’s not. This is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
WDRB
