### Ohio Patrol Commander Apologizes for Controversial Facebook Posts

An Ohio sheriff's patrol commander, Lt. John Rodgers, has issued an apology after making contentious statements on social media, where he declared he would refuse assistance to Democrats. Rodgers attributed the posts to side effects from prescribed sleep aids that purportedly caused his "out of character" actions.

Rodgers, a veteran of the Clark County Sheriff's Office for 20 years, made several inflammatory posts on Facebook, as reported by WHIO-TV. In one disturbing post, he wrote: "I am sorry. If you support the Democrat Party I will not help you." Another post claimed, "The problem is that I know which of you supports the Democratic Party and I will not help you survive the end of days."

The Clark County Sheriff's Office responded by issuing Rodgers a written reprimand for violating its social media policy but allowed him to remain on duty. The department distanced itself from Rodgers' remarks, emphasizing that the comments did not reflect their commitment to serving all community members. The sheriff's statement acknowledged the community’s right to be upset and stressed the need for renewed efforts to regain trust.

Rodgers explained that he had no recollection of writing the posts, nor of deleting them, and only became aware of the situation when a colleague inquired about his well-being. He mentioned that a prescribed sleep aid he occasionally takes can cause "out of character" behavior, such as sending texts or making calls. Following the incident, Rodgers deactivated his Facebook account and ceased using the medication.

This incident in Clark County comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions and misinformation, particularly after false claims amplified by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump about Haitian immigrants in Springfield. The county's chief deputy, Mike Young, reaffirmed the department's commitment to protecting all community members' rights and condemned the inappropriate conduct.

Clark County is not alone in dealing with law enforcement-related social media controversies. In Portage County, Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski faced criticism for a post suggesting that people with Kamala Harris yard signs should have their addresses noted, so they could house immigrants if the Democrats won.

The U.S. Justice Department has stepped in, declaring that it would monitor election activities to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws during early voting and on Election Day, underscoring the importance of lawful and fair electoral processes in Ohio.