Indiana

Scrap That

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Indianapolis city officials are announcing two major changes to the police department’s part-time job policies following the employment of officers at a scrap metal yard accused of dealing in stolen material.

Mayor Greg Ballard, Public Safety Director Scott Newman and Police Chief Mike Spears said they were ordering all command personnel in IMPD to quit their outside employment.  New policies will be drafted for the rank and file, but restrictions will be put on where they can work and what type of employment they could engage in.  Officials said it was important to maintain the public trust, especially since IMPD had a string of embarrassing situations involving officer wrong doing last year.

Newman said rank and file officers will still be able to do things like referee games and would likely be able to work as off duty security guards in apartment complexes where they live.

FOP President Bill Owensby said while he understood the need to craft a rule, he said it would have been better if the Ballard administration had rules in place prior to making today’s announcement.

Under the current system, officers are issued work permits for outside employment and nearly half the force has one.

Newman also pointed out the city was well aware of the investigation into the scrap metal yard since last year, but allowed officers to work there to continue to gather evidence on its alleged illegal activities.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on February 26, 2009 (boomark / email).