Fort Myers police Officer Jason Jackson back on leave

A Fort Myers police officer that returned to work after four years on administrative leave has once again been placed on leave.

Officer Jason Jackson returned to duty full-time on April 6, 2021, after a federal investigation failed to turn up criminal charges against Jackson and three other officers who retired while they were under investigation.

The allegations against Jackson, Melvin Perry, Rick Notaro and Michael Forbes come from an audit of the Fort Myers Police Department by the Freeh Group International Solutions.

The audit alleged police corruption, favoritism in the department and lack of resources that kept officers from solving violent crime.

Jackson was on paid leave during the length of the federal investigation.

Now, Fort Myers police say, an internal affairs investigation has been launched into allegations of misconduct by Jackon based on documents provided by the FBI.

Fort Myers police Chief Derrick Diggs said, in a statement, the FBI provided information to the police department based on their investigation of Jackson and the other officers.

Diggs said the internal investigation will remain confidential until it is completed, citing Florida’s Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights.

Jackson will remain on leave pending the outcome of the investigation, FMPD said.

“Here we go again.”

That’s the only thing the police union had to say about the news that Jackson was back on paid leave.

Jackson was paid an estimated $275,000 in salary and benefits to stay home but his family told WINK News over and over again that he wanted to be back on the job.

Jackson’s father Henry Jackson is usually outspoken in support of his son.

But on Wednesday, news of his son being back on administrative leave caught him by surprise. He declined to comment.