Tuesday, October 21, 2014

RIP Sheriff Jack Cottey


Former Marion Co. Sheriff Jack Cottey (R) passed away today at the age of 75. He reportedly had been suffering from cancer for some time. We feel for family members, of course, for the loss of their loved one and express our deepest sympathy to them for their loss.

Below is the reaction to Cottey's death by a number of state and local political luminaries. I don't share their views of the man. The profuse praise of Cottey by these prominent people is disturbing to say the least. The man I most remember is the man in the video above (NSFW), and it's the memory scores of people who got on his bad side for trying to do the right thing most remember. "I've got three more weeks, I'm going to bury some people's asses," Cottey bellows to the poor guy in the towing company office on the receiving end of his profanity-laced tirade because his unmarked car had been towed after he parked it illegally while getting tanked in the Columbia Club.

It's quite alarming that people who hold or have held such powerful positions in our state and local community would describe a man who had so little respect for the law despite being a life-time law enforcement officer in the glowing terms they do. Their effusive praise of this man says more about them than it does Cottey, who was simply a product of one of the most corrupt eras of law enforcement in Indianapolis' history. I'm truly sorry for his family's loss, but his departure is no loss to the local law enforcement community to which he brought so much shame and disrespect. He was no role model for younger law enforcement officers, and I can only hope that most of them view him as I did for the public's sake.

"Marine, state legislator, sheriff -- Karen and I knew Jack as a leader and a friend. We have deep respect for his many contributions to both public service and public safety."

--Mike Pence, Indiana Governor and former U.S. Representative

"Sheriff Cottey will be remembered as a national leader in local crime prevention and community policing. During very critical times, he was among the first to recognize that homeland security begins with hometown security. As a former United States Attorney, he was by my side after 9/11 proudly leading the men and women who serve and protect our local communities, as they worked with state and federal law enforcement to keep us safe from terrorism."

--Susan Brooks, U.S. Member of Congress, former Indianapolis Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and former U.S. Attorney

"Sheriff Jack Cottey displayed a unique blend of leadership traits -- compassion, vision, tenacity, common sense and fairness. He knew Indianapolis and her people well. His absence will be felt deeply by all those knew and worked with him."

--Richard G. Lugar, former U.S. Senator and former Indianapolis Mayor

"Our work together spanned many decades in his constant commitment to public safety and public service. As prosecutor, I worked closely with Jack as deputy chief and legislator to improve Indiana's criminal law. As mayor, I saw how the city benefited from his initiatives as sheriff, in innovated technology and techniques with the help of rank-and-file deputies. Jack was truly a public citizen who served his community and friends loyally and with commitment."

--Stephen Goldsmith, former Indianapolis Mayor and former Marion County Prosecutor

"When I was elected mayor, I appointed Jack as Deputy Chief of Detectives. He served faithfully in that capacity, and we subsequently supported each other in many political contests. I loved his laugh and his enjoyment of life. He was a genuine and caring person, and a good friend and ally. We will miss him."

--William H. Hudnut III, former Indianapolis Mayor

"I am deeply saddened in saying goodbye to one of our community's long-time civic and political leaders. Whether in the state legislature or during his two terms as Marion County Sheriff, Jack Cottey was known for always extending his hand across the political aisle in order to get things done for the people he was elected to serve-a quality that is too often absent in today's political climate. Jack was my friend and colleague. I, along with the rest of Indianapolis, will miss him."

--Joe Hogsett, former Indiana Secretary of State and former U.S. Attorney

"Jack Cottey and I served as deputies together as deputies in the Marion County Sheriff's Department in the early 1960s. He was a longtime friend and a great law enforcement officer. Jack was always able to work across party lines and put public safety first. I was fortunate to follow him as sheriff. He will be truly missed by so many in the law enforcement family."

--Frank Anderson, former Marion County Sheriff and former U.S. Marshal

"What I'll remember most about Jack Cottey is his great laugh. There are people whose laugh 'lights up a room,' as they say. Jack's laugh lit up the room and shook the pictures off the walls. Jack was a great politician, because he really loved politics. And he loved it because he loved people. Not 'the People,' as an abstraction, but individual people. All of them. And politics was for Jack the best chance he had to give each and every person exactly what they wanted and needed from their state and local government."

--Scott Newman, former Marion County Prosecutor

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who was Jack Cottey supporting in this year's sheriff's race?

Gary R. Welsh said...

He's been on Sheriff Layton's payroll for a no-work, no-show job so I could only assume he was supporting Layton. He's crossed the aisle to support Democrats because they were corrupt enough to put more money in his pocket on top of the millions he had already pocketed during his reign of terror in this county.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Gary, for saying what had to be said. I've had the pleasure of getting to know many good law enforcement types who are great public servants. Jack was not one of them, not by a long shot. I know one individual whose career and life was destroyed by this corrupt bastard. I hope he made peace with his maker before he passed for all of the bad things he did to good people during his life.

Anonymous said...

Love that video.

Cottey vs. Delaware & South

That's like Darth Vader vs. Hitler

Cottey came up through Indy and taught today's Indy leaders. The way it works in Indy, as played and taught by Cottey is that we have a system here. If you get behind that system, you'll do all right. If you decide to go your own way and oppose the system, well, you'll learn how things are done.

Anonymous said...

Be on the watch for some law enforcement sleaze to use Cottey's state funeral as a political opportunity to say "I was a friend of Jack. I was taught by Jack. I worked with Jack to make Indy a better and safer city. And, today, I am proud to display the leadership Jack taught me to announce that I am officially running for Mayor of the great city that Jack loved."

Anonymous said...

My favorite Cottey story was the time he boarded a plane to Florida supposedly to play golf only hours before cops raided his posh home out in Lawrence. They arrested his live-in maid for dealing drugs. Cottey put on his best Capt. Renault impersonation, "I'm shocked, shocked to find that drug dealing was going on inside my home."

Gary R. Welsh said...

When Jeremy Rogalski used to work for WTHR, he got a tip from one of Cottey's fellow deputies to spend a few days tailing Cottey. Rogalski used an unmarked van to follow him around. His work day consisted of going from one bar after another drinking and then driving. Cottey exploded when his story aired, particularly since it made a mockery of his relationship with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. It wasn't long after that before one of Cottey's friends tailed Rogalski until he caught him driving after having a few drinks so they could bust him for drunk driving. Rogalski's career as a journalist came to a crashing halt. He's gone on to much better things. I think he's currently working as an investigative reporter for a TV station in Houston.

Anonymous said...


It's quite alarming that people who hold or have held such powerful positions in our state and local community would describe a man who had so little respect for the law despite being a life-time law enforcement officer in the glowing terms they do. Their effusive praise of this man says more about them than it does Cottey, who was simply a product of one of the most corrupt eras of law enforcement in Indianapolis' history. I'm truly sorry for his family's loss, but his departure is no loss to the local law enforcement community to which he brought so much shame and disrespect. He was no role model for younger law enforcement officers, and I can only hope that most of them view him as I did for the public's sake.

Cottey the drunk.

Indiana Sheriffs must be investigated by the FBI. There is cause to believe that Indiana Sheriff's operate under a "Good Ole Boy" system, whereby they all just pass out favors to their own....

Corruption is as Corruption Does.


Gary R. Welsh said...

Don't forget the whistle blower lawsuit. Cottey ordered the county's crime statistics altered in order to make his predecessor,, Joe McAtee, look bad when he was running against Cottey's crony corrupt mayor friend out in Lawrence, Tom Schneider. He fired the employee who called him out on it. The former employee won his lawsuit in federal court, and it cost taxpayers several hundred thousand dollars. Cottey was unapologetic to the end.

Anonymous said...

Jack Cottey was a bully. Layton is corrupt. We have not had a good sheriff in our lifetime.

Anonymous said...

Ditto for the real truth behind this man and cronies and corruption. Count on Gary and comments to publish fact.
Anonymous said...

Thank you, Gary, for saying what had to be said. I've had the pleasure of getting to know many good law enforcement types who are great public servants. Jack was not one of them, not by a long shot. I know one individual whose career and life was destroyed by this corrupt bastard. I hope he made peace with his maker before he passed for all of the bad things he did to good people during his life.

9:41 PM GMT-5

Anonymous said...

You are entitled to your opinion as am I. I give you journalistic credit for posting the kind comments from leaders who worked with him. RIP my friend

Anonymous said...

Cottey and Layton were equally corrupt in their conduct.

I recall published news stories and other reports that Sheriff John Layton:

Sheriff Layton personally refusing to provide jail transport for a police officer he had a grudge against, SGT Huber. He then made slanderous statments about him that were not true.

Sheriff Layton personally refusing to provide jail transport for another police officer on a Friday of a Holiday weekend without notifying anyone because he got a rumor the policeman was disrespectful to a deputy having a bad day. That rumor was proven untrue.

Sheriff Layton giving new Sheriff car to a crony, who is a full time fireman and reserve deputy. Why does a reserve deputy have personal use of a Sheriff car at all???? We don't live in the sticks...cronyism defined!

Pay-to-Play Listing:

These deputies raised campaign contributions, presumably for their crony high paying jobs:

Major Craig Blanton = $462.00 (did not start with MCSD until 2014)
Major Henry "Hank The Goof" Bosworth = $7,405.00
Major Debbie Sullivan = $4,159.00
Major James Martin = $1,232 (promoted recently)
Major Melissa Hamblin (Hiner) = $3,852.31
Major Michael Hubbs = $2,432.00
Major Scott Mellinger = $1,998.00 (Running for Sheriff in Madison Co.)
Major Michael Himmel = $5,385.00 (did not start with MCSD until 2013, but planned ahead)
Major Reginald Roney = $3,323.00

This is a grand total of $30,248.31 for John Layton's campaign. That accounts for about 8.7% of all of John Layton's campaign funding.

Anonymous said...

Praise for a man who had no relationship whatsoever with his grandchildren... Great guy....Real "family" man...

Anonymous said...

Gary, many share your point of view. I see most agree anonymously. Proof that you are correct. That video was typical. I doubt much can be blamed on the alcohol. There is no accountability for some.
Why have so many IMPD officers been investigated by the Feds, and apparently so few MCSD? Both have their problems.