State Police Investigating Officer's Clash With IMPD Officer

An online Star report today says the Indiana State Police has launched an investigation into an alleged altercation between one of its state troopers and an IMPD officer at the department's headquarters downtown.  "Master Trooper Detective Wayne Billings was the state police officer involved in the interaction with the IMPD officer," according to a news release by state police spokesman Sgt. Anthony Emery. "Billings is a 30-year veteran of the Indiana State Police presently assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division at the Indianapolis State Police Post." According to the Star, Billings has been placed on administrative duty at the Indianapolis State Police post until resolution of the internal investigation.

The Star doesn't name the IMPD officer with whom Billings butted heads. An earlier report by WTHR, however, identified a state trooper as having an altercation at IMPD heaquarters with Deputy Chief William Benjamin. WTHR reported several days ago on the altercation:

A longtime Indiana State Trooper is coming under scrutiny for his actions toward another law enforcement agency.


The trooper got into a heated argument after walking into the office of a metro police official in downtown Indianapolis. Now his bosses at State Police headquarters have questions about what happened.

So far, Indiana State Police have not called for an internal investigation, but they want to know what happened.

The confrontation happened late Tuesday evening at the Metro police headquarters inside the City County Building. The state trooper cleared through security and proceeded to the second floor.

Once there, the trooper went to the office of Deputy Chief William Benjamin. That's where sources tell Channel 13 the trooper started an argument with Benjamin.

Channel 13 has also learned that another high ranking Metro Police official stepped in, possibly drew his weapon and told the trooper to leave.

Media Relations personnel at the Indiana State Police post declined our interview request on the matter. But inside sources did tell us the trooper in question has about 30 years experience and works as a detective for ISP.

It seems obvious the two reported incidents arose out of the same occurrence. It's not clear what the purpose of Billings' visit to IMPD's headquarters was.

Should Straub Be Fired?

A group of black ministers packed last night's City-County Council meeting to demand the firing of Public Safety Director Frank "I'm the police chief" Straub. The group is particularly upset that some high-ranking officers are being scape-goated for the mistakes that occurred in the investigation of Officer David Bisard after his police cruiser struck two motorcyclists, killing one and seriously injuring two others. Darryl Pierce and Ron Hicks, the number two and number three persons at IMPD, were demoted last weekend to the rank of lieutenants within the department in an effort to calm growing public anger over the handling of the case. Both were dispatched to the accident scene while IMPD Chief Paul Ciesielski met with Straub to discuss more pressing issues in Straub's office. Lt. George Crooks, who headed up the department's fatal alcohol crash team (FACT), was removed from his job even though he wasn't even at the accident scene. A Lawrence police department officer, Lt. Stan Stephens, a member of FACT, actually accompanied Bisard to the Methodist Hospital Occupational Clinic where his blood was drawn for testing. Stephens took more than an hour to deliver Bisard's blood sample for testing after it was drawn. According to WRTV, Stephens had lunch and visited with a friend before delivering the blood sample to the police property control room. The blood alcohol test showed Bisard to be intoxicated at a 0.19 level, more than double the legal limit. Prosecutors threw out the test results and dropped alcohol-related charges against Bisard after it was determined the blood had not been drawn by a person qualified under Indiana law to draw blood for such purposes. Bisard still faces several serious criminal charges, including reckless homicide.

Durham Living It Up In L.A.

WISH-TV's David Barras reports on the lavish lifestyle alleged Ponzi scheme operator Tim Durham continues to live in L.A., while thousands of defrauded middle class investors in Ohio wonder if they will ever get back a dime of the money they invested in Durham's Fair Finance Company. Although Durham owns a house worth nearly $4 million in L.A., Barras shows pictures posted on a Facebook site of a baby shower held last month at another L.A. mansion Durham is leasing for $20,000 a month.

Controversial Airport Authority CEO John Clark A Finalist For Atlanta Job

John Clark, the CEO of the Indianapolis Airport Authority hired just last year, is one of three finalists to run the nation's busiest airport, Atlanta's Hartsville-Jackson International Airport. Clark has something in common with each of the contenders for the job. According to an Indianapolis Star report, the the other two finalists are Louis Miller, former executive director and chief executive of Tampa International Airport, and Lester Robinson, former chief executive of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Miller resigned his job earlier this year at Tampa after the airport authority's board brought in an outside attorney to investigate his dealings with the authority after several disagreements with the board over his actions. The Detroit airport authority's board fired Robinson earlier this year without explanation. Clark bolted his job in charge of Jacksonville's airport authority for greener pastures in Indianapolis after his treatment of employees and excessive spending on travel came under fire there. Clark has since come under fire at his Indianapolis CEO job for spending too much money on out-of-state travel. Florida prosecutors earlier this year announced they were investigating Clark's lavish travel expenditures while CEO of Jacksonville's airport. You would have thought the Atlanta search team could have found candidates with less controversy for consideration. Two of the three finalists are African-American, including Clark and Robinson. Miller is Caucasian. The decision will be made shortly by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who is African-American.

Another IMPD Officer In Trouble

Another IMPD officer is under investigation after it was learned he wrecked his police cruiser and attempted to cover up the damage to his car by failing to report it and by having it repaired at a private garage instead of the city's maintenance garage. The department isn't naming the officer yet, but WRTV has identified him as Officer Matthew Elam. He has received at least twelve commendations in the past, including the Medal of Valor, but he reportedly was suspended from his job two years ago for 10 days for violating department policy. Elam has now been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation according to WRTV. Elam works the downtown district and is a member of IMPD's SWAT team. Elam is a 17-year veteran of the department. The Marion County Prosecutor's Office is investigating Elam's actions.

Blagojevich On Obama's Ties To Tony Rezko

I've always maintained that convicted political fixer Tony Rezko had much closer ties to Barack Obama than he had to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Rezko played a key role in the corruption charges on which federal prosecutors tried the former governor that ended in a mistrial after jurors could only agree on convicting Blagojevich of just a single charge--lying to FBI agents. Rezko, who raised considerable campaign contributions for both Obama and Blagojevich, allegedly funneled cash to Blagojevich to help pay for renovations to his Ravenswood home in Chicago. Similarly, Rezko aided Obama in the purchase of his southside mansion by purchasing an adjacent vacant lot and then selling a portion of it to Obama, a move that allowed Obama to purchase his home for considerably less than the asking price and that significantly increased the home's value. In an interview with ABC News' Brian Ross, Blagojevich explains how his first introduction to Obama was made by Rezko, a Syrian Muslim immigrant who later became a Catholic:

Blagojevich said that Obama, even more than himself, had a longstanding, close association with Antoin "Tony" Rezko, the Chicago real estate developer who had become the subject of his own federal probe – one that ultimately led to Rezko's conviction on fraud and bribery charges. The former governor said his very first meeting with Obama, then about to join the Illinois senate, came by way of Rezko's personal introduction.

The point Blagojevich sought to paint in his interview with Ross that Obama was the ultimate target of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation of him.

"When they had me in custody they were very clear about they wanted me to cooperate and talk about people in higher places ,and with all due respect to Mayor Daley, there's no one higher than Governor," he said.


"You're talking about then president-elect Obama?" Ross asked.

"I'm not saying that right now." Asked who else he could mean, Blagojevich shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Is it your impression they were thinking about Obama?" Ross pressed.

"I have my own personal opinion but from where I'm sitting right now it's probably better for me not to talk about it." He then grinned, "If I'm guilty of anything it's that I talk too much."

Blagojevich's strategy in suggesting Obama is the ultimate target of Fitzgerald's investigation is patently obvious. He wants to place in the minds of potential jurors, particularly black jurors, in the case Fitzgerald plans to retry against him that if he is found guilty, this guy is going after Obama. Unfortunately, I don't think Obama has a thing to worry about. The reason I say that is because federal prosecutors went out of their way, to the point of weakening their own case against Blagojevich, to prevent ties to Obama from being brought out during the trial. Despite the criminal role Rezko played in some of the charges against Blagojevich, the government never called him as a witness. Rezko has never been sentenced despite his conviction more than two years ago at the insistence of federal prosecutors with whom Rezko has been cooperating in its case against Blagojevich. A key charge against Blagojevich, an attempt to sell Obama's Senate seat, involved conversations the former governor had with Obama and others close to him like Rahm Emanuel. Both Emanuel and Obama were key strategy advisers to Blagojevich during his first run for governor. Emanuel succeeded in taking Blagojevich's congressional seat when he ran for governor.

IMPD's Top Brass At Bisard Crash Scene

This report by Fox 59 News' Kimberly King brings home just how much is at stake concerning IMPD's handling of the investigation of David Bisard. A number of the top brass at IMPD were at the crash scene shortly after Bisard's police cruiser struck two motorcyclists, leaving one dead and two seriously injured. Assistant Chief Darryl Pierce and Deputy Chief Ron Hicks, the number two and number three officers in charge of IMPD under Chief Paul Ciesielski are there. Lt. Larry Jahnke, who heads up Internal Investigations is at the scene. Major John Conley is there as is Sgt. Doug Heustis, head of traffic investigations and reconstruction, was at the scene. Lt. Stan Stephens of the fatal alcohol crash team (FACT) accompanied Bisard to the Methodist Occupational Health Clinic where that flawed blood alcohol test was taken. King notes in her report that video footage of Bisard at the crash scene shows him wearing sunglasses. Police would typically want to observe the eyes of a driver involved in a traffic accident of this severity to look for signs of intoxication, an observation they couldn't make while he was wearing sunglasses.

UPDATE: The Mayor, Chief Paul Ciesielski and Public Safety Director Frank Straub conducted a press conference this afternoon at which they announced the demotions of Assistant Chief Darryl Pierce, Deputy Chief Ron Hicks and Major John Conley, all of whom were at the accident scene on the day of this fatal accident. According to the Star, the three are being returned to their merit positions within the ranks. Their failure to communicate to their superiors is cited for the reason behind their demotions. Apparently Chief Ciesielski is getting no blame for failed leadership on this case. Straub's conduct is predictable. He's in front of the cameras to take credit for anything good IMPD does, and he is in front of the cameras to lay blame for anything bad IMPD does.

Victim's Attorney Claims Bisard May Have Purchased Vodka Before Deadly Crash

An attorney representing one of the victims of a crash caused by IMPD Officer David Bisard claims in a letter to the Marion County prosecutor he has evidence Bisard may have purchased a 1.75 liter bottle of vodka in a CVS store within a 48-hour period prior to the accident that left one man dead and two others seriously injured. The reliability of this evidence, however, may be less than reliable based upon a WTHR report this evening. Bruce Kehoe, the attorney for one of the victims, relied on information he received from a CVS customer who may have seen Bisard make the purchase at one of two CVS store locations on the city's northeast side. Kehoe is calling on the prosecutor's office to use its subpoena power to determine whether surveillance records or credit card purchases would offer further proof of the purchase. The letter suggests the officer was dressed in full uniform when the purchase was allegedly made.

Ballard Awards Politically-Connected ACS 50-Year Parking Meter Lease

Your parking rates are going to double, and a private firm with strong political ties to Mayor Greg Ballard's administration will make millions at your expense. Ballard's administration announced it will award a 50-year contract to ACS, the same company which played a keys role in the botched welfare privatization contract FSSA awarded to IBM and which the state recently terminated, to lease the city's parking meters. Under the terms of the lease deal, ACS will keep 80% of all parking meter revenues it collects, a percentage which will eventually drop to 50% in the latter years of the lease agreement. Deputy Mayor Mike Huber says ACS is getting 80% of the revenues because it will spend millions to replace all of the current parking meters and will pay the city $35 million up front. ACS will be allowed to double the parking rates Indianapolis residents pay over the next 2 years. After that, parking rates will be adjusted regularly according to the inflation rate. The city says it will eventually receive about $1.5 million in parking revenues from ACS; however, those payment levels will not be reached until many years into the 50-year lease agreement with ACS. The city says it currently collects about $750,000 annually in parking meter revenues. In addition to the higher metered rates, extended hours for parking at metered spots will require paying up to 9:00 p.m. to park. The lease also will extend to the operation of other city parking garages, including those operated by the CIB. Something doesn't add up in those numbers. I'll leave it to one of this blog's talented analysts to explain it.

I knew as soon as this deal was put out on the street ACS would get the contract just like I predicted it would get the state's welfare privatization contract. The firm formerly employed former FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob, who was running the department when the partnership it had with IBM was awarded the welfare privatization contract. Former Indianapolis Mayor Steve Goldsmith and CIB President Ann Lathrop both formerly worked for ASC as well. And last but not least, ACS's hired gun lobbyist is Barnes & Thornburg, the law firm that has effectively called all of the shots in the Ballard administration since he took office in January, 2008. The firm has been paid more than a million dollars to perform legal work for city-county government since Ballard took office, and it is under contract to provide personal advice to Ballard's office. At the same time, the firm has represented multiple businesses doing business with the city or seeking to do business with the city as a hired gun lobbyist. Joe Loftus, former deputy mayor under Goldsmith, lobbies the city on behalf of ACS.

The state's welfare administration contract became a huge black eye for the Daniels administration, which ended the long-term contract it entered into with IBM; however, it permitted ACS a continued role in the original contract running a call center operation in Marion, Indiana, which leases a building that is owned by a firm in which State Rep. Eric Turner and his son are the principal owners. The state is now engaged in a contentious lawsuit against IBM, which the state blames for the botched privatization of welfare services. Critics complained at the time of Roob's connection to IBM's partner as a former executive with the company. The Daniels administration claimed Roob recused himself from participating in the contract negotiations that involved his former employer but other insiders say it was no secret from the day he assumed his role as FSSA Secretary that he was going to deliver the contract to a consortium of private businesses that included ACS. Roob is very close to Barnes & Thornburg's Joe Loftus. Both worked together in the Goldsmith administration and Roob was instrumental in working on several privatization deals initiated by former Mayor Goldsmith.

The city says it plans to use the $35 million ACS will pay it up front for street and sidewalk improvements in the downtown and Broad Ripple areas only. The administration already plans to spend a half billion dollars it expects to receive from the transfer of the sewer and water utilities to Citizens Energy in the form of upfront payments and additional borrowed funds for street and sidewalk improvements. Citizens Energy has already stated it will seek higher utility rates to pay for the money it must borrow in order to pay the city $263 million as part of that deal. The city also plans to leverage PILOT revenues, which are payments made in lieu of taxes by Citizens Energy on  the utility property it will get under the deal, to issue bonds to fund at least another $190 million in street and sidewalk improvements. No other taxing unit in Marion County will share in those revenues despite the fact that the payments represent payments on otherwise tax-exempt real estate. While the city will reap 100% of those tax revenues, its share represents only 20% of the property taxes businesses and residents pay each year.

Mayor Ballard is holding a press conference at 10:30 a.m. to gloat about this latest pay-to-play deal. What do you want to bet not a single member of the local news media will question the ties that so obviously played into the selection of ACS for this lucrative 50-year lease?

UPDATE: Apparently someone in the media took me up on my challenge at today's press conference and asked Ballard about awarding the long-term lease to ACS given its role in the botched FSSA privatization contract and its financial ties to people being paid to advise him. A WTHR report by Mary Milz shows Ballard looking and acting totally dumbfounded that any one would even question the choice. She then followed up with an interview with Marion Co. Democratic Chairman Ed Treacy, who wisely pounced all over the decision. Like I said, the people advising Mayor Ballard are simply trying to see how much money they can make off his stupidity and complicity in the raping of Indianapolis taxpayers for the benefit of his political contributors. They don't care how badly they damage him politically. As long as they are making millions off his administration, that's all that matters. This truly is the most corrupt administration in the history of Indianapolis. Taxpayers for generations will be paying the price for allowing him to auction off city assets to benefit his political cronies. This is where the U.S. Department of Justice should be focusing its public integrity investigation. Indianapolis public corruption long ago surpassed that of Chicago. The absence of an honest federal or state prosecutor in Indianapolis allows the politicians to operate with impunity.