A police officer at the center of an investigation at the Fort Myers Police Department has been terminated.
Jason Jackson was terminated on Monday following the conclusion of an internal affairs investigation, according to the Fort Myers Police Department.
The police department did not release the full investigation but said Jackson was found to have interfered with an internal affairs investigation, associating with convicted felons, maintaining a personal relationship with an active/confidential informant, maintaining a sexual relationship with a former confidential informant and failing to devote time and attention to the service of the city.
WINK News has requested the full investigation.
Jackson was first placed on paid leave in 2017 after the release of the Freeh report audit of the Fort Myers Police Department.
The audit led to a criminal investigation by the FBI that failed to return criminal charges on Jackson and three other officers who retired while they were under investigation.
Jackson was on paid leave and earned about $275,000 during the four years he was away from the department.
He returned to work four years later on April 6, 2021.
Almost two months after returning to work in June, he was placed on leave again while the department launched an internal affairs investigation into allegations of misconduct based on documents provided by the FBI.
FMPD said 27 community members, many of them Dunbar residents, were interviewed who had concerns about Jackson’s actions on and off duty.
“The allegations that prompted this investigation are not representative of the men and women of the Fort Myers Police Department who risk their lives to make our city safer,” Fort Myers Police Chief Derrick Diggs said in a statement. “This type of behavior is not tolerated at the Fort Myers Police Department.”
“This behavior is from a past chapter, and we have closed the book on that era of FMPD,” Diggs added.
A representative from the police union said they will appeal the decision to fire Jackson. They also said the termination is not supported by just cause.
A family member of Jackson’s also declined to comment.
Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson released a statement on Jackson’s termination: “While it is always disappointing when the Chief of Police determines it necessary to terminate an officer, I hope that the Chief’s decision reinforces to the community that leadership is serious about holding officers accountable.”