North Carolina police chief faces consequences for telling officers how to obtain fake COVID vaccine cards

A North Carolina police chief has been placed on administrative leave after allegedly advising unvaccinated officers on how to obtain COVID-19 vaccination cards without actually getting shots.

According to CNN, T.J. Smith, the police chief in Oakboro Town, North Carolina, learned of the disciplinary action on Tuesday, December 21. He received a letter from Doug Burgess, the Oakboro Town administrator, that included details about what led to the action.

The violations Smith faces reportedly "stem from 'detrimental personal conduct including notifying law enforcement officers to attend a 'clinic' where they would be able to obtain proof of COVID-19 vaccination cards without being vaccinated.'"

Per the letter, Smith "violated policies including fraud, willful acts that endanger the property of others and serving a conflicting interest when he allegedly told officers about the scheme."

The disciplinary action against Smith follows an independent investigative probe conducted by Blue Chameleon Investigations.

In wake of the latest reports, Smith has released a statement to Stanly News & Press to apologize and share his side of the story. "To make a long story short, in retrospect, I made a mistake," Smith said.

According to Smith, he learned about the so-called "'self-vaccination' clinic" from a friend. "After I got off the phone with that friend, I called two other officers (not in my department) and passed on information about what was described as a 'self-vaccination' clinic," he says in a portion of the statement. "I got one phone call, hung up and made two others. I didn't sit back and digest the information, ruminate on it, or otherwise give it much thought. I just passed it on."

The administrative leave is set to last for the next six months. However, Smith does have the right to file an appeal.