GREAT FALLS — After a long battle with the Montana Public Safety Officer Standards & Training (POST) Bureau, former Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards secured a victory.
On Thursday, the Montana POST Council finalized an agreement to reinstate Edwards’ POST certificates.
The settlement began years ago when the now retired Bob Edwards served as Cascade County Sheriff.
When Edwards was charged with misdemeanor assault in 2017, Montana POST Council, an organization that sets employment and safety standards for all public safety officers, revoked Edwards’ police and coroner certificates.
About a year and a half later, Edwards retired from office, but for years he’s wanted to remove the mark from his record, saying his time as sheriff was the “highlight of his career.”
Edwards posted on Facebook: "I am thankful this drawn out journey is over. Being your Sheriff was the highlight of my career and I will always cherish my time as your Sheriff and the wonderful team I had. I would like to thank my family for their love and support. I also want to thank my many steadfast supporters for being by my side through this journey."
We did speak to the Montana POST Council, who confirmed that Edwards’ certificates will be reinstated as long as he doesn’t re-enter law enforcement in a "street-level" capacity. Those conditions won’t prevent him from running for public office, however.
