Tuesday, January 01, 2008

IMPD Spokesman Busted For DUI

He worked for many years as the chief spokesman for the Indianapolis police department, but he now finds himself the subject of a news story. Sheridan police arrested Sgt. Steven Staletovich early this morning on charges of driving while intoxicated. The Star's Robert King writes:

An Indianapolis police sergeant was arrested in Hamilton County early Tuesday and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Stephen P. Staletovich, 46, was arrested by Sheridan town police just after 3 a.m. Tuesday and taken to the Hamilton County jail, according to jail booking officer William Dailey. His bond was set at $2,500.

Staletovich, who has served as a public spokesperson for Indianapolis police, has been in law enforcement for more than 22 years. He was arrested by Sheridan police at the Westfield Police Department, Bailey said. Details of the arrest weren’t immediately available. Sheridan Police Chief Jeff Weir could not be reached for comment.

IMPD said Sgt. Staletovich was operating his own personal vehicle at the time of his arrest. The department will conduct an independent internal investigation and Sgt. Staletovich will be reassigned to administrative desk duties until that investigation concludes.

Aside from his police work, Staletovich last year made a short fictional film screened locally that depicted the final hours of a convicted serial child murderer on death row.

About the same time Sheridan police were hauling Staletovich into custody, a gunman was shooting up a parking lot outside Durty Nelly's Pub on the city's northeastside, killing one and injuring four others. The shooter remains at large. Hopefully, this isn't a sign of times to come in the new year.

48 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too bad he did not get stopped by Hamilton County's Finest Taxi Cab Service. He would have gotten a ride home!

ruth holladay said...

What a shame. He was a good guy to work with: fast and informative.
I wonder if any of this is an indication of the stress at IMPD. They don't give those media jobs to slouches.

Anonymous said...

Isn't Staletovich one of the cops who was feeding info to Abdul to post on IndyUndercover?

Anonymous said...

Durty Nelly's was cited in November for being in violation of C3 Zoning for having live entertainment. It was a hip hop bar like May's had on the Northside just a little rougher.
May's shut down his place for being in violation of the C3 zoning for having live entertainment.

Just saw CNN news report on this mass shooting. Real good advertisement for Indy. Better call Deputy Mayor Olgen Williams and the Concerend Clergy.

IMPD cop arrested? What's new.
Cops under stress? Comes with the job. If they have to drink to cope then they need to find another line of work. Lucky for him he didn't kill someone.

Ballard will take care of these problems for us won't he.

ruth holladay said...

Yeah, I've heard Staletovich's name associated with IndyU as well. At one point, he was suspected as being one of two cop guys who were the brains behind it. He may have fed Abdul info; who knows?

Anonymous said...

1:36, You are correct. Staletovich was one of Abdul's confidential informants and he was pissed about the consolidation. Many posts on Indy Undercover by him.
Heard he was also a buddy of Tim Dugan (Flipper), the retired fireman that fed a lot of info to Indy Undercover too.

Indy Undercover just won't go away will it. There were a lot of names on Abdul's hard drive the cops took sounds like to me.

Anonymous said...

Wsn't Tim Dugan in charge of Ballard's party for his campaign supporters this past weekend at the IFD on Mass?

Staletovich was replaced by Mount and yes, he was in with Abdul and Ike. That's why Ballard's party was at IFD on Mass I suppose.
What a tangled web we weave......

Anonymous said...

Ex-spokesman. Off-duty in his own car. Yes, I know he should be held to a "higher" standard. Just like news reporters, clergy,politicians,doctors, nurses firemen, teachers, collage graduates etc.

Sure would be nice to be a factory worker and not have to worry about it all.

And you should see who is part owner of Durty Nellies. That will be a sure thing to make the news. And rightfully so.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Durty Nelly's is for sale for $185,000. Check out this link: http://www.businessesforsale.com/Durty-Nellys-Pub-and-Eatery-For-Sale.aspx

Anonymous said...

Thank you, 211 anon for the perspective. It also depends on what your political affiliation is.

So spill, who is part owner?

Also, with all of you so obsessed with IndyU, let me say: Build a bridge and get over it.

Anonymous said...

Rachel McComas runs the joint. See:

http://www2.indygov.org/PermitResearch/summary.do?caseNo=VIO07-04711

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm , isn't there a McCommas that is an IPMD officer? I thought I remember one getting a dui few years back?

Anonymous said...

Not sure if its connected, but here is one.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=2325177

Anonymous said...

This is Ballard's problem now but since the police and the FOP worked so hard to defeat Bart, they now own Ballard and nothing will happen.....The FOP keep a running murder count on the Indyu blog...maybe we could do the same....oh, I forget we have pardoned thief, former drug addict, and property tax evader Olgen Williams to handle the situation......and if it involves an Hispanic, then we have an illegal appointed by Ballard to handle that....the prosecutor could help but he is busy with his bar/restaurant.

Anonymous said...

Anybody know if Rachel McComas is related to Officer Shannon McComas, the police officer who crashed his police cruiser into a minivan awhile back after leaving a party according to the WTHR report above?

Anonymous said...

At this moment there has been a SWAT call out and looks like possibly murder #2 at Linwood Sq......Does a hit&run death count as a murder? If it counts then up the number.

Anonymous said...

Tim Dugan is the father of John Dugan, who was busted as a corrupt excise cop.

Anonymous said...

2:24, build a bridge and get over it?
Some of us supported Ballard until we found out Abdul Akim-Shabazz was running Indy Undercover collecting dirt on cops from other cops.
Then the sob turned his computer and all his files over to IMPD and then boasts like a 17 year old who just got laid saying he didn't.
Build a bridge my ass, this thing's just getting started.

Anonymous said...

Horror of horrors...an underpriviliged cop who doesn't
have a take home unit?

Anonymous said...

Shannon McComas is not related to anyone in this town.

Anonymous said...

Shannon/Rachel? Mr & Mrs.
Fact

Anonymous said...

The SWAT call up at linwood square did not involve a murder. The fellow gave up. He had robbed someplace.

Anonymous said...

What a shame. He was a good guy to work with: fast and informative.
I wonder if any of this is an indication of the stress at IMPD. They don't give those media jobs to slouches.


He was a .08 BAC. The breath test is usually lower than the real BAC, so say he was .09. That kinda sucks considering that seven years ago he would have been let go as long as the officer felt he was OK to drive.

It looks like the owner is a Nirmal Singh with an address in Fishers.

Anonymous said...

anon 341, I supported Ballard. Voted for him, gave him money and had the bumper sticker - heck I even saw him out at tax rallies and such. So yeah, I AM going to give him a chance.

As for Abdul, his obscene arrogance is enough for me. But it is all about him, but he makes no bones about that.

Unless you have the smoking gun, all you've got is the constant whining and bitching. If you want to do that, go visit Ruth's blog, that is all she does anymore.

ruth holladay said...

So 5:17, from what I am reading, he will lose his license to drive for 30 days. Plus all the court costs, being ordered to participate in an alcohol awareness program, etc. You're right of course about .10 being legal a few years back; ironic, isn't it?
So about bitching and whining: if you don't get why it's important for a blog not to deceive readers, why it can cost credibility, you never will. Enjoy the Kool-Aid; I prefer whine.

Anonymous said...

Ike wasn't involved with indyU! He's not smart enough, he didn't have the inside information, and he's not smart enough! (worth repeating)

I was smart enough to go to bed at 2230 last night. Being at work ot 0630, sober and NOT hungover was a nice way to start a new year.

Anonymous said...

Ruthie, I perfer champagne darling! IndyU served its purpose, it was time for it to fold. It got the truth out and for that I say "Thanks goodness".

Anonymous said...

Steve Staletovich has a take home police car, he just chose to use his personal car the night of the arrest.

Anonymous said...

"They don't give those media jobs to slouches."

Ruth I thought you were better connected to the dept. than that... Media relations typically is not where the best officers end up.

Anonymous said...

drunken cops should be fired...plain and simple.

Anonymous said...

I find it all rather interesting that Staletovich was the Spokesperson for IPD then was busted down to a Partol Officer after the merger. He was replaced by current Spokesperson Mount.

It's quite apparent that Staletovich had reason to be a very outspoken critic of Peterson, Anderson and the merger.
His anger was vented thru Indyundercover.

There must be other factors involved in his termination of Spokesperson after the merger.

Anonymous said...

Anyone have any idea why there are two police mugshots of Staletovich? WTHR showed the one from his arrest Tuesday morning. The Star has an old one where he's wearing a baseball cap. What was the prior mugshot from?

Anonymous said...

Let's get our terminology straight..Staletovich was not busted to Patrol Officer, he was and remains a Sergeant. He was not terminated from the position of IMPD Spokesman but he was transferred...perhaps because of his alleged involvement with Indy Undercover. The previous writers use of terms show a predetermined bias against Sergeant Staletovich.

Anonymous said...

He's a Sargeant. That's fine. He's been there a long time and keeps the rank but he still is a Patrol Officer.
I'm not making light of the fact he's a Patrol Officer or even questioning his rank.
What I am questioning is how a Sargeant who held the white shirt job of Spokesperson suddenly ends up TRANFERRED and replaced after the merger. However you look at he WAS terminated as Spokesperson thru transfer or otherwise.

If this transfer occured because of his supposed involvement with Indyundercover then Staletovich is yet another LEO that has suffered at the hands of Abdul Hakim-Shabazz. Staletovich gets tranferred out of a white shirt job and ends up back on the street and Abdul gets a pay bonus and special invites to all the social and political high roller events in town.
I'm sorry for any LEO that was used and outed by Abdul.

ruth holladay said...

Does anybody remember the letter to the editor Staletovich wrote to the Star, criticizing the new police uniforms? If you add that rap to ties with IndyUndercover, or even the suspicion of those ties, he's made some enemies in high places.
Yes, I'd like to see Abdul speak up on behalf of his police buddy(ies) on Indiana Barrister. But that won't happen, will it? Not politic anymore. Purpose served, game over, man.

Wilson46201 said...

Ruth: the new(?) GOP slogan in Indianapolis now is: The ends justify the means. Honesty in blogging is no virtue, bamboozlement in support of Ballard is no vice!

Anonymous said...

You know, if I were a cop I'd be real pissed off at Abdul right now. It's no secret Mr. Shabazz likes to drink.
May be the next DUI news story will have his name at the top.
Brizzi can't cover him 24/7.

Anonymous said...

It's not Sargeant, it is Sergeant and Patrol Officer is a rank that used to be Patrolman, but with the addition to so many policewomen, it has been changed to Patrol Officer, who ever you are, you it is painfully obvious you know nothing about the police work.

Anonymous said...

You can call Staletovich a street cop or uniform officer, but Patrol Officer is now a rank..Staletovich is a Sergeant and a supervior, not a Sargeant or Patrol Officer!!

Anonymous said...

Staletovich is a Sergeant and a uniform officer supervisor, not a Patrol Officer, which is a rank to itself!!

Anonymous said...

Why should we be mad at Abdul? The problem was Mr. Peterson, Sheriff Anderson, and the CCC. 2 0f the 3 have been fixed. Only one more to go!

signed,
still a proud member of the IndyU rabble

Anonymous said...

Sergeant or Sargeant, he is a cop who took an oath to protect citizens, not to endanger them..he could have killed someone...!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, Staletovich was once a member of the IPD honor guard, who was proud of his uniform and wore it well, he thought the new IMPD uniforms were not too well thought out and the smokey hat ridiculous for a city cop to wear. He did write the newspaper once about this, I remember that.

Anonymous said...

So why was Staletovich terminated from his position as Spokesperson?
Someone stated he was transferred and lost the position. Why was he transferred?
From what I've heard he did a very good job as Spokesperson.
I believe his remarks about the uniforms came after he was no longer Spokesperson.
Why did he lose the job? Why didn't he just retire if it was that bad?

Anonymous said...

Staletovich was not terminated from the Spokesman position. In the IMPD you are only terminated when you are fired from the job. Staletovich was transferred (that is the official thing that happened to him) from that assignment. It is thought he was TRANSFERRED because of his alleged involvement with the Indy-Undercover blog site.

Anonymous said...

The uniforms were very poorly thought out just as the rest of the consolidation. The media relations positions are pretty much plum desk jobs. Once the sheriff took over along with his political croonies a lot of people were moved out of speciality positions and replaced with "favorites"

Anonymous said...

So if I understnad this correctly, their is a lot of bad blood between the old IPD and the MCSD.
Sounds like the boys in the MCSD took over the plums in IMPD.
Staletovich simply lost a plum job.
I suppose I'd be a bit upset myself.

Anonymous said...

I would say "bad blood" between the politicians and leadership of the MCSD and the old IPD, not the rank and file street cops, who work well together...but you have the right idea...