Schuman certification revoked after alleged misconduct

BONNERS FERRY — A former Boundary County sheriff’s candidate has had his law enforcement certification revoked, due to alleged ethics violations, and allegations of criminal conduct, lying and falsifying official communications and failure to respond and failing to truthfully respond to questions related to an investigation or legal proceeding.

The certification revoke is similar to a dishonorable discharge in the armed services, as it removes someone’s ability to serve as a peace officer.  

David J. Schuman, a former BCSO deputy and sheriff’s candidate had been under investigation by the Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training for 11 allegations. 

In the POST investigation, all allegations were found true, as it was found that Schuman lied about his record when running for office, falsified police training certifications, used his law enforcement position to intimidate and verbally sexually harassed two individuals.  
At this time, he has not been charged with any crimes by POST.  

In October 2006, when Schuman was the K-9 handler at BCSO he used canine “Jody” to search a vehicle, although she had failed her Idaho recertification exam in June 2005. 

Per POST, canine handling certifications tests are mandatory for agencies having canine units and must be recertified annually. It is the responsibility of handlers to ensure the evaluation form and application for certification is turned into POST for processing. 

On July 15, 2016, Schuman used canine “Malibu” to conduct an official search despite knowing she had not passed the recertification exam and that the pair were no longer a certified canine team in Idaho, POST officials said 

POST Division Administration Brad Johnson wrote as part of the certification revocation that Schuman “falsified” his report regarding the search with Malibu, claiming that the team was still certified.  

The investigation found that Schuman failed to alert BCSO that Malibu had not passed the recertification tests and that the canine team was no longer certified in November 2015 and December 2016. 

“Due to your dishonesty, you unlawfully received extra pay for five hours of “dog maintenance compensation per week even though you and your canine were not a certified team in Idaho,” Johnson wrote in the POST ruling.  

On December 28, 2005, BCSO Chief Deputy JT Day met with Schuman and directed him to achieve certification with his canine partner, as Schuman had failed to do so.  

Johnson wrote that Day indicated Schuman had attempted to mislead him about the certification.  

The investigation found training records with a canine around June 9, 2017, were falsified.  

In May 2023, it is alleged that Schuman made “inappropriate sexual statements” to two females at a Memorial Day event in Boundary County.  

It is also alleged that an endorsement letter for Schuman’s Boundary County sheriff bid, allegedly written by BCSO Deputy Robert Goad, was falsified as it was not written by Goad.  

Schuman posted his personal resume on his campaign website and POST officials contend it contains false claims such as being a “continuously certified canine officer 2002 to present,” “certified narcotics detective,” experience as a field training officer, “600 hours of leadership training,” and that he holds a certification as a detention officer, seized $1,000,000 of drugs with Jode and seized $94,000 with Malibu.  

However, POST officials said their investigation found Schuman’s K-9 certification expired on Oct. 13, 2007, and that there are no records of him being a certified narcotics detective.  

There is no POST certification as detective, rather a different agency provides a course.  

POST noted, per Undersheriff Rich Stephens, Schuman was never involved in BCSO’s field training officer program. There is no evidence where a record of 600 hours for training exists, nor a record of POST issuing a detention officer certificate. The ruling also found the dollar amount of drug seized to be inflated. 

Johnson wrote that Schuman’s lack of education on dollar amount for K-9 seizures, prior to making public statement shows that he intended to misrepresent facts in his campaign resume. 

Schuman claimed to have convicted “one drug dealer a month” when he was a narcotics detective and even claimed he arrested a friend for a third drunken driving charge.  

According to an investigation by the Boundary County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and Boundary Couty Drug Task Force’s records, these claims are not true.  

Per the investigation in a 48-month period between 2005-2008, Schuman only had 19 convictions, not 48 as claimed during his campaign.  

Schuman admitted to POST that the a drunken driving arrest claim made during his campaign was a mistake. Furthermore, during the investigation, POST officials said he could not provide documents to back up his claim for statistics. 

Johnson wrote this was due to the fact copies of reports, logs or statistics are the property of BCSO, adding it was another excuse to deflect the burden of proof away from Schuman and required investigators to uncover what was the truth..  

On January 26 over email, Schuman allegedly attempted to harass and intimidate, Ben Apo, the former chairman at the Seniors Hospitality center, by using his position as a “certified police officer” in a letter demanding Apo resign or be referred for prosecution.  

This is a violation of the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics.  

On February 16, 2024, Schuman was found to be using his agency vehicle for personal use, which is a violation of BCSO policies.   

 If the POST division administrator determines through investigation (which constitutes the complaint for the purpose of a contested case proceeding before the agency) that the allegations of misconduct are proven, they are cause for decertification. However, the person will be given an opportunity to respond before a decision is issued. 

POST’s investigation into Schuman’s alleged misconduct was completed on April 12 and a letter of decertification was sent to him on June 20. 

Schuman responded with a written rebuttal and declined to speak with Johnson in person. Schuman was sent the decision of decertification July 17 but did not respond within the required 30 days. As a result, Schuman’s POST certifications have been revoked and he is no longer able to serve as a peace officer.  

Schuman abruptly retired from BCSO on April 1, 2024; he had been employed by BCSO since 1999.  

Schuman said the move was prompted by dissatisfaction with how BCSO handles personnel matters, particularly his, as he was on administrative leave at the time due to the POST investigation.  

The “delay of action” shows an “agenda,” he said, adding he is limited in what he can say at that time.  

Schuman declined to comment on the POST ruling regarding his certification.