The founder of Saratoga Black Lives Matter is calling the fact that the city almost hired a white police officer who shot a Black man in Troy several years ago a “slap in the face.”

Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll said the department will not be hiring Jarrod Iler. When Iler worked as a Troy Police officer, he shot a man named Dahmeek McDonald, who was driving toward him and refused to stop.

McDonald was hit in the arm and forehead but survived.

Iler wasn’t charged, but the city of Troy settled with McDonald.

Coll said there have been “numerous obstacles” in the hearing process. He added that he has “listened to and [is] sensitive to the concerns expressed by the community.”

BLM Saratoga founder Lexis Figuereo told NewsChannel 13 that his members found out Saturday about the potential hire.

“Why would this even be considered in the city given all of the controversies that are going on in Saratoga Springs with the police department,” he said.

He said that Black Lives Matter members had protested about McDonald’s shooting in Troy and called the prospective hiring a “slap in the face to both of our communities.” 

He said BLM members actually reached out to Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D – Round Lake, because she had sponsored legislation to amend the civil service law to allow Iler to be eligible to be a police officer – even though he exceeded the age limit of 35 to be hired as a new officer.

Iler served as a police officer in Troy from 2013 to 2020, according to the legislative memo with Woerner’s bill.

This controversy comes on the heels of a report from Attorney General Letitia James that said the city violated the constitutional rights of BLM protesters during the summer of 2021.

Figuereo said city officials have talked about building bridges and he has talked to Coll a couple weeks ago. However, Figuereo said this is not the way to do it.

Figuereo said the group’s attorney is working to file a federal civil rights lawsuit in response to the attorney general’s report.

They are also looking into other legal remedies.