Well, this doesn't look good. After announcing just yesterday that Public Safety Director Frank Straub's chief deputy, Rick Hite, a former Baltimore police officer, would assume the role of acting chief of police following IMPD Chief Paul Ciesielski's ouster yesterday after the latest snafu in the Officer David Bisard investigation was publicly disclosed, we learn today that Hite is not certified to hold the position of police chief in Indiana. WRTV's Rafael Sanchez
reports:
The Indianapolis Metro Police Department's newly-named interim police chief is not certified to hold the position, public safety officials said . . .
Despite Hite’s experience, he’s not certified to work in Indiana, officials said.
Indianapolis public safety officials said that until Hite receives certification in the Hoosier state, an assistant police chief will take over the position.
Straub is
being grilled by the Indianapolis City-County Council's Public Safety Committee as I write on whether the council should approve his reappointment. The Star's Jon Murray reports that one of the first questions fired at Straub by a councilor was this zinger from Councilor Frank Mascari: “Why is it that everybody at IMPD is accountable for their actions but you?” He added: “Every time something goes wrong, it seems like you throw somebody under the bus.” Ouch.
2 comments:
General Ordinance 110, 2005 as amended under Chapter 279, For Inquiring Minds Who Wanna Know Æ◄
DIVISION 2.
IN GENERAL
Sec. 279-221. Appointment and qualifications of chief; powers and duties.
(a) The metropolitan law enforcement agency shall be under the direction of a chief, *who serves at the pleasure of the director of the department of public safety.*
(b) The director of the department of public safety shall appoint the chief of the metropolitan law enforcement agency, after consultation with the sheriff and subject to city-county council confirmation. The chief shall serve at the pleasure of the public safety director. The chief, after consultation with the sheriff, shall appoint members to the rank of assistant chief, deputy chief, district deputy chief or equivalent positions,
and shall present them in person to the sheriff and to the city-county council's public safety and criminal justice committee annually.
(c) In order to qualify for appointment, the chief must meet the requirements under IC 36-8-4-6.5.
(d) If a person was a member of the metropolitan law enforcement agency before the person's appointment as the chief of the metropolitan law enforcement agency, upon the expiration of the person's term as chief, the board shall appoint the person to the permanent rank in the agency that the person held at the time of the person's appointment as chief.
(e) If the person, during the person's tenure as chief, has qualified, in accordance with the promotion procedure prescribed by the board in its rules, for a rank in the agency that is higher than the rank the person held before the persons appointment as chief, the board shall, upon the expiration of the person's term as the chief, appoint the person to the rank for which the person has qualified under the promotion procedure, if there is a vacancy in that rank.
(f) The chief shall have the powers and duties assigned to him or her in this chapter, and as otherwise provided by law. Specifically, the chief shall be responsible for establishing a system of orders and procedures for the agency, hiring and discipline as provided by the merit system, and day-to-day operations of the agency.
(g) The chief is hereby designated to serve as the co-applicant for a warrant or an extension of a warrant under IC 35-33.5-2.
IC 36-8-4-6.5
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Police chiefs or deputy police chiefs; requirements
Sec. 6.5. (a) This section applies to the appointment of a police chief or deputy police chief in all cities.
(b) An applicant must meet the following requirements:
(1) Have five (5) years of service as a police officer with a full-time, paid police department or agency.
(2) Be a citizen of the United States.
(3) Be a high school graduate or equivalent.
(4) Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age.
(5) Be free of mental illness.
(6) Be physically fit.
(7) Have successfully completed the minimum basic training requirements established by the law enforcement training board under IC 5-2-1, or have continuous service with the same department to which the applicant was appointed as a law enforcement officer before July 6, 1972.
(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (b), an applicant for appointment as police chief or deputy police chief must have at least five (5) years of continuous service with the police department of that city immediately before the appointment.
*This requirement may be waived by the city executive.*
As added by P.L.348-1987, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.148-1992, SEC.3; P.L.68-1996, SEC.8
I have high hope that the very determined Councilor Mascari will be an important independent voice for the people. We are counting on you, Frank.
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