Jackson Free Press

Charles Carter, president of the National Emergency Communications Institute, says that there is more to state Auditor Stacey Pickering's investigation of Hinds County Supervisor Robert Graham than the state has presented.

Pickering served a demand on Graham in May for $45,736 for wages Graham and other city employees received from the city of Jackson between 2003 and 2006 while he was conducting dispatcher certification classes. Graham taught the courses, Pickering alleged, during regular work hours when Graham--then a city employee--indicated on his time sheet that he had been on the job as a spokesman for the Jackson Police Department.

Lisa Shoemaker, spokeswoman for the auditor's office, said that Graham did not pay the demand within 30 days of its issuance and the state attorney general's office is now taking over the investigation.

Carter instigated the investigation when he sent an October 2007 complaint to Pickering's office, but Carter's letter focused on Graham's alleged unauthorized use of the company's copyrighted manuals for training classes.

Graham worked for NECI as a contract instructor. Emergency-response agencies such as fire departments and American Response Ambulance service paid Graham $495 each for their employees to take his course. The course included a $95 emergency response manual and, upon completion, a NECI certificate.

Students could then submit their certificate to the state's Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training for approval, and the board reimburses all agencies for the cost of the class.

"The state office would look at class rosters turned in by Graham, and if they saw that there was a certificate from NECI, then the state would reimburse the agency $495 plus the student's salary while they were at their training and travel expenses, Carter said."

In 2006, Carter received a phone call from a member of the state's Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training asking if he had changed the design of his company's certificates. He had not.

Then when students began calling asking for additional copies of their certificates, NECI had no records that the students had been enrolled in Graham's course. Carter determined that Graham was copying manuals and printing his own certificates instead of paying for them.

Carter reported his findings to the attorney general's office Aug. 8, 2006. A year later he took the complaint the state auditor's office. NECI revoked Graham's certification as an emergency-response trainer after Carter issued the 2007 letter to the state auditor.

The city of Jackson gave Graham $2,500 to buy manuals that he never purchased, Carter claimed. "We never complained that he was double dipping," Carter said.

"We complained that he was using our training materials without our knowledge. And making copies without our knowledge rather than purchasing our materials."

Carter estimates that his company lost from $20,000 to $25,000 from Graham not paying for materials. He said that he held off on filing a civil suit against Graham because he did not want to interfere with the state's impending investigation.

Shoemaker said the state auditor's office looked into all of Carter's claims but could only serve a demand for Graham's time-clock infractions.

"Back when we first started looking into this (the Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards and Training) determined that they were going to honor all of the certifications that were issued by Graham to those people even though they didn't have valid certificates," Shoemaker said.

"We don't have any issues with seeking recovery because the people did not suffer any losses as a result of taking those courses."

Carter said he alerted all emergency response agencies to let them know that some of their employees may not be certified under state law to respond to emergency calls.

He said he is disappointed the state board agreed to accept the certificates even though they weren't valid.

"I sent a letter to all 9-1-1 directors, chiefs and sheriffs in the state letting them know that a lot of people that they thought were certified were in violation of state law," Carter said.

Carter said he has no plans to file a civil suit because of the time and expense it would involve.

Graham did not return calls for this story. His attorney, Lisa Ross, said nothing has changed since May, and that her client disagrees with the auditor's demand.

Previous Comments

ID

165117

Comment

The information in the photo caption, describing Graham as a "former police officer" is incorrect. While he was on the Police Reserve and a Civilian Employee of JPD, Graham was never a paid police officer. That "Lieutenant" title he uses to market his trade was an appointed position within the Police Reserve. AS such, Graham never had any supervisory authority over any police officer. Graham is just a fraud, scamming many.

Author

Louie

Date

2011-10-05T13:36:07-06:00

ID

165118

Comment

I wrote that caption, Louie. I thought he was an officer; I apologize if I got it wrong. Will double-check.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-10-05T15:00:09-06:00