A Durham County deputy resigned after an internal investigation found he had engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship, lied about it, and attempted to obstruct investigators, according to a recent court filing.
But nine months later, Joseph Costa was back in uniform, taking the oath of office as a Granville County deputy. He would spend the next two years working as a school resource officer, the same assignment he held in Durham — without the required state commission review of his previous conduct.
A recent court filing by a North Carolina district attorney revealed how Costa, and possibly other deputies, escaped scrutiny by the state commission that oversees deputy certifications…