Commission Meeting Cancelled After Sheppard Rally
HIGH SPRINGS – High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard returned to duty Tuesday, July 7, 2026, after a two-week paid administrative leave, reinstated by City Manager Jeremy Marshall under a Final Written Warning that also requires the chief to repay compensation the city says he received in error.
Marshall’s July 7 letter concludes a disciplinary process that began June 23, when Sheppard was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into unspecified complaints. Neither the city nor Sheppard publicly disclosed the allegations at the time, prompting weeks of speculation and community concern that culminated in a prayer gathering organized before Tuesday night’s City Commission meeting.
In a statement issued following his reinstatement, Sheppard said he is focused on returning to work and serving the community.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to return to work and continue serving the citizens of High Springs alongside the dedicated men and women of our Police Department,” Sheppard said.
From suspension to proposed termination
Three days after placing Sheppard on leave, Marshall issued a June 26 Notice of Proposed Disciplinary Action recommending the chief’s termination.
The notice outlined 11 alleged policy violations centered on Sheppard’s administration of the Police Department’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) extra-duty patrol program. Among the allegations were that Sheppard failed to advertise available extra-duty assignments to other officers, scheduled most CRA patrol shifts for himself on Mondays and Tuesdays, exhausted 234 of the program’s 235 authorized annual hours within three months, and accepted overpayments for extra-duty work and paid time off without notifying the city.
A predetermination hearing was held July 1 before Marshall at High Springs City Hall. The following day, Marshall requested a supplemental written response addressing how Sheppard’s management of extra-duty assignments complied with the seniority-based rotation required under Article 21 of the city’s collective bargaining agreement with the North Central Florida Police Benevolent Association. Although the agreement excludes the police chief from the bargaining unit, the city cited its extra-duty provisions as part of its review.
Sheppard disputes allegations
Represented by counsel, Sheppard submitted an 11-page response on July 6 denying that he intentionally falsified records or knowingly accepted compensation to which he was not entitled.
He acknowledged administrative errors, including CRA activity log entries that should not have been billed to the program, but argued they did not constitute intentional misconduct.
Sheppard also challenged the disciplinary process itself, asserting the city’s notice contained contradictory dates regarding when officials first learned of the allegations. He argued that City Hall’s closure from July 2 through July 6 for the Independence Day holiday limited his ability to obtain records and prepare his defense before the city’s deadline.
His response further suggested the investigation was connected to his public opposition to proposed reductions in police staffing and to disciplinary action involving a subordinate officer that preceded a series of public records requests directed at his administration.
Sheppard also requested preservation of all related records and invoked his right under Florida Statute 166.0494 to a public hearing before the City Commission if termination were pursued.
Five allegations sustained
In Marshall’s July 7 decision letter, the city concluded that evidence supported five of the original 11 allegations — two classified as Group 1 offenses and three as Group 2 offenses under city policy.
According to the city, Sheppard failed to follow department policy governing extra-duty assignments, submitted an inaccurate request for approximately 60 hours of extra-duty back pay, violated the collective bargaining agreement’s extra-duty rotation provisions, assigned CRA patrol shifts exclusively to himself on Mondays and Tuesdays in what Marshall described as creating the appearance of using his position for personal advantage, and failed to properly supervise subordinate officers whose CRA activity logs included ineligible activities such as washing patrol vehicles, attending a City Commission meeting and participating in the city’s annual tree-lighting ceremony.
Marshall determined there was insufficient evidence to support the remaining six allegations, including claims that Sheppard claimed CRA compensation while outside the district or city limits and falsified his location on CRA activity logs.
Conditions of reinstatement
As part of his reinstatement, Sheppard is prohibited from working extra-duty assignments unless he receives prior written approval from the city manager.
Marshall also reclassified the chief as a non-exempt employee eligible for compensatory time rather than the flex-time arrangement Sheppard said he had used for more than a decade.
The city further directed Sheppard to enter into a written repayment agreement by Aug. 1 covering any overpaid paid time off and extra-duty compensation once an audit determines the amount owed. Any unpaid balance would become immediately due within 90 days if his employment ends before repayment is complete.
Questions remain about the process
The disciplinary record leaves several procedural questions unresolved, separate from the city’s findings on the five sustained allegations.
The timeline itself was compressed. Sheppard was notified of the allegations June 23, and three days later the city issued a notice recommending termination. In his response, Sheppard said an investigative interview originally offered to him was canceled after he requested legal counsel, and the termination recommendation followed shortly afterward. The documents do not indicate whether the investigation had been completed before the recommendation was issued.
The June 26 notice also contains conflicting dates. It states the city became aware of the allegations on June 16 but also says interviews began June 14 — two days earlier. Sheppard’s response contends he was first placed on notice June 23. Marshall’s July 7 decision does not address those discrepancies.
Sheppard further asserted he was not provided the identity of the complainant, witness statements or the full evidentiary basis for the allegations before the July 1 hearing. He also stated that some investigative materials initially made available to him were later withdrawn.
His response identifies Lt. Jason Taylor and Officer Miner as colleagues who, according to Sheppard, could have rebutted one of the extra-duty allegations but were not interviewed during the investigation.
The city’s July 2 request for a supplemental response also gave Sheppard until noon on July 6 to submit additional information, a period that included City Hall’s holiday closure. Sheppard argued that limited his access to payroll records, timecards and other documents needed for his defense.
Another issue raised in the documents involves the collective bargaining agreement. While the city acknowledged July 2 that the police chief is excluded from the bargaining unit, Marshall’s July 7 findings nevertheless cited Sheppard’s failure to comply with the agreement’s seniority-based extra-duty rotation as one of the sustained Group 2 violations.
Sheppard also connected the investigation’s timing to his public opposition to proposed police staffing reductions and to disciplinary action taken against a subordinate officer represented by a local attorney, which he said was followed by numerous public records requests concerning his administration.
His response further notes that Commissioner Katherine Weitz publicly remarked before the investigation that the city could not afford the cost of terminating his contract.
Commission meeting canceled
A large crowd of Sheppard supporters gathered outside High Springs City Hall Tuesday evening before the City Commission’s scheduled meeting, with some wearing printed T-shirts in support of the chief and many planning to speak during public comment.
Shortly after the meeting began, city officials announced that City Hall’s elevator was out of service and canceled the meeting. Agenda items, including public comment, were rescheduled for the commission’s July 23 meeting.
The cancellation came moments before the public comment portion of the meeting was expected to begin and after supporters had gathered outside City Hall for a prayer rally in support of the chief.
Community support
Sheppard, a 25-year veteran of the High Springs Police Department who has served as chief since 2019, has received substantial public support since his suspension. Many residents questioned both the confidentiality surrounding the investigation and the speed with which it unfolded.
Supporters organized a prayer gathering before Tuesday’s commission meeting and indicated they intend to continue attending future meetings in support of the chief.
In his statement Tuesday, Sheppard said his focus is now on leading the department and moving beyond the disciplinary proceedings.
“For 25 years, I have served this community honorably, ethically, and with integrity, and that record remains unchanged,” he said. “My focus now is on supporting my officers, maintaining the morale of our agency, and continuing to provide the high level of service our community deserves.”
Sheppard said he harbors no resentment over the events that led to the investigation.
“I hold no malice in my heart toward anyone who may have sought to harm me personally or politically. My focus remains on serving this community with professionalism, integrity, and respect.”
He concluded by thanking residents for their support.
“I appreciate the tremendous support I have received and look forward to moving forward together.”
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