Monday, November 30, 2009
Marion County is full of Corrupption!! Its so deep I need boots!!!
It never hurts to have friends in high places. Check out the video Tim Durham's son ran in his race for Park Tudor class president in which he gets help from Marion Co. Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, Ludacris and Barack Obama. Really classy stuff here. Birds of a feather flock together. Mayor Ballard may dispute Brizzi's claim that Durham's son single-handedly brought down crime in Indianapolis. Never let anyone tell you kids don't learn from their parents. WISH-TV interviews Carl Brizzi on his relationship with Tim Durham. Here's the transcript of the interview where he puts on his best Sgt. Schultz defense:
24-Hour News 8 reporter Gene Rodriguez: Let's talk about Fair Financial. You made the decision first to be on the board then you reversed that decision. Clearly the FBI was investigating him. Can you explain the red flags and why you decided to remove yourself from the board?
Carl Brizzi: I never attended a board meeting, never received any compensation. Tim and I are friends and we made a decision that that was something that I wasn't going to be involved in.
Gene: Now he ran your campaign and you traveled to the Super Bowl with him.
Carl Brizzi: He didn't run my campaign....he was a my finance director.
Gene: You traveled a lot. What does it say about your decision making when now you are learning all of this about him and you did spend a lot of time with him?
Carl Brizzi: We spent almost two and a half million dollars in the 2006 campaign. It's a lot of money. And uh, Tim's a friend and he helped raise a good bit of money and also contributed a lot of money as well. And so we've spent a uh vast majority of the money that we raised prior ot 2006 on that campaign and it was a tough campaign as you remember. Both sides raised a considerable sum.
Gene: You concerned about where that money came from now, knowing that you already spent it?
Carl Brizzi: Well, I think it's premature to uh judge. We didn't take any money unlike another campaign recently where the candidate withdrew from the race. We didn't receive any money from Fair Holdings or from Fair Financial.
Gene: However, what they are looking into is that he used those holdings as a personal bank account for some of his interests and some of his investments so arguably some of that money could have come from there and there's just no paper trail for it.
Carl Brizzi: Well, I think that's why we have to wait until the investigation is over before we jump to any conclusions about...you know...maybe that if, if that money did in fact come from other sources.
Gene: But you have to be concerned for your own political future, knowing what's going on and how closely related you were to him.
Carl Brizzi: Tim's a friend and I am sorry that this happened, uh, to him, and you know, Gene what do you do if a friend gets in trouble you just feel badly for them. I mean that's kind of where I am at right now and we're going to go about the business of putting the bad guys in jail.
Gene: Could you say that you are on the up and up and you weren't involved in any of this knowingly or anything like that.
Carl Brizzi: Of course, that's not even out there is it. No one is making those kinds of accusations. So, again we all have friends and um I feel badly for what has happened to him but look we've got to go about the business of prosecuting criminals and that's where my focus is right now and this is obviously a distraction but we are going to press on.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Looks like charges will dropped and another screw up by the brass
It appears charges against a police officer accused of hindering a homicide investigation will be dropped on Wednesday.
Candi Perry's attorney, Robert Turner, said he expects prosecutors will announce as soon as Wednesday that they've dismissed charges of official misconduct and providing false information.
Mario Massillamany, a spokesman for Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, would not confirm that the office planned to drop the charges, but said that an announcement regarding the case would be made on Wednesday.
Perry, a former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer of the year, has been on paid suspension since October when a grand jury indicted her.
Perry was involved in a homicide investigation of a homeless man on June 26 and June 27, according to the indictment. The indictment gave few details, but said Perry provided false information to another officer during a homicide investigation and that "the false information did substantially hinder any law enforcement process."
This story came from the Indystar.com. But in my opinion it looks like what the CORRUPT Brass starting with Spears and Benjiman tried to do has back fired again. This is the second officer in 2 years that they have burned or tried to send to prison on false accusations and the charges ultimately dropped by the prosecutors office due to a very very poor investigation. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't ask her to resign but I am shocked with the paid suspension. Hey Candi in my opinion this was a "YOU DO WHAT WE SAY OR ELSE" thing because again in my opinion Spears is not even adequate of running as a street officer more less in charge of a Big City Department. Thats why when you are an honest officer you get burned by the corrupt ones to cover thier crap!! A good police chief sticks by his men and women and does not TRY to ruin them. I again in my personal opinion ..this city needs a complete overhaul from the mayor down, along with a complete and I state again a complete overhaul of the upper brass of IMPD, they teach you in the academy not to abuse your powers.. I think the upper brass in there today must have missed that class.
These are only some of my opinions, believe me I have more.
P.S. Candi I would sue.
Candi Perry's attorney, Robert Turner, said he expects prosecutors will announce as soon as Wednesday that they've dismissed charges of official misconduct and providing false information.
Mario Massillamany, a spokesman for Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, would not confirm that the office planned to drop the charges, but said that an announcement regarding the case would be made on Wednesday.
Perry, a former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer of the year, has been on paid suspension since October when a grand jury indicted her.
Perry was involved in a homicide investigation of a homeless man on June 26 and June 27, according to the indictment. The indictment gave few details, but said Perry provided false information to another officer during a homicide investigation and that "the false information did substantially hinder any law enforcement process."
This story came from the Indystar.com. But in my opinion it looks like what the CORRUPT Brass starting with Spears and Benjiman tried to do has back fired again. This is the second officer in 2 years that they have burned or tried to send to prison on false accusations and the charges ultimately dropped by the prosecutors office due to a very very poor investigation. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't ask her to resign but I am shocked with the paid suspension. Hey Candi in my opinion this was a "YOU DO WHAT WE SAY OR ELSE" thing because again in my opinion Spears is not even adequate of running as a street officer more less in charge of a Big City Department. Thats why when you are an honest officer you get burned by the corrupt ones to cover thier crap!! A good police chief sticks by his men and women and does not TRY to ruin them. I again in my personal opinion ..this city needs a complete overhaul from the mayor down, along with a complete and I state again a complete overhaul of the upper brass of IMPD, they teach you in the academy not to abuse your powers.. I think the upper brass in there today must have missed that class.
These are only some of my opinions, believe me I have more.
P.S. Candi I would sue.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
If the guy from NY doesn't get this, Public Safety is in big trouble
Well there are 3 names out of the four I would not vote for just because we know they are yes men and really do not care about the citizens or their respected Police and Firefighters in this city. Just my thoughts.
The list of candidates for Public Safety Director is now down to four; three in-house and one from outside. Interim Director Mark Renner, current police chief Mike Spears and Darryl Pierce. Also on the list is Frank Straub, Public Safety Director of White Plains, NY. My money is on the man from out of town. From what I hear he’s highly qualified, brings a fresh perspective to public safety that Indianapolis could use to move it forward and really enhance the relationship between citizens and the public safety community
The list of candidates for Public Safety Director is now down to four; three in-house and one from outside. Interim Director Mark Renner, current police chief Mike Spears and Darryl Pierce. Also on the list is Frank Straub, Public Safety Director of White Plains, NY. My money is on the man from out of town. From what I hear he’s highly qualified, brings a fresh perspective to public safety that Indianapolis could use to move it forward and really enhance the relationship between citizens and the public safety community
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Great post that we are sharing...Advance Indiana shows why this city needs an overhaul .A Complete One!
Here's a perfect example of why truth in budgeting is so important. The City of Indianapolis' 2010 budget includes $1.7 million to cover the cost of purchasing police cars for 50 new police officers, who are being funded by a federal grant, along with their uniforms, hand-held radios, training and pagers. The budget approved by the City-County Council anticipated that those extra costs associated with hiring new police officers would be covered by a grant from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. That grant has been rejected, and according to a FOX 59 News report, the City should have known that if it had conducted any due diligence before applying for the grant. FOX 59 News reports on the $1.7 million hole in the City's budget:
Fox59 News has learned IMPD has been rejected for a $1.7 million dollar grant to buy 50 new police cars. And, it appears more advance discussion with Indiana Criminal Justice Institute officials about restrictions for equipment would have let city leaders learn months ago they never had a chance to get grant money for cars.
"The equipment grants we give out are typically for $10,000 or less," said Neil Moore, executive director of the Justice Institute. "If you look at what we funded in the past you will see we don't fund cars for large police agencies."
IMPD was requesting $1.3 million for cars. The total request was $1.7 million dollars. The money is needed to match Federal money the city's taking to cover salaries for 50 new police officers in 2010. By taking the federal money the city has to guarantee it can buy equipment for the new police and cover their salaries after three years.
"We were a little surprised, we were counting on it," said Valerie Washington, CFO for public safety.
Grant papers obtained by Fox59 News say the city is in a current "tax crisis" and is 18 months behind in collecting taxes.
The city also asked for line items including $70,000 for 50 new police uniforms, $179,000 for 50 handheld radios, $140,00 for firearm training, $10,000 for training material, and $3,950 for 50 pagers for recruits. The entire grant was rejected about three weeks ago.
"Since then we've been working with the controller's office, the grant unit to find alternative funding sources," said Washington.
She also said the grant writers had consulted with someone at the ICJI about the requests for equipment. City officials say the federal grant description did cover allotments for cars. But Moore says local police agencies like IMPD know the Institute's history and rejection of funding for police cars.
"We only provide one or two cars for very small police departments in need," said Moore.
Discoveries like this will tell us whether the City-County Council actually approved a balanced budget for 2010 as advertised. The City claims it expects to have a $15 million surplus next year. I would point out that the 2007 65%, $90 million a year increase in the local income tax was supposed to include funding for 100 new police officers that had never been funded as promised earlier in his administration of then-Mayor Bart Peterson. Mayor Greg Ballard, simiilarly, didn't used those additional income tax revenues to fill 100 new positions. Instead, he is filling half of those positions using one-time federal grant money. How will we pay for those positions when the federal grant money is exhausted? We obviously don't even have the funding to purchase their police cars, uniforms, etc. This is why City-County Councilors should do a more thorough job scrutinizing the budgets presented to them and not simply rubber stamp what has been put in front of them by the Controller's Office.
Fox59 News has learned IMPD has been rejected for a $1.7 million dollar grant to buy 50 new police cars. And, it appears more advance discussion with Indiana Criminal Justice Institute officials about restrictions for equipment would have let city leaders learn months ago they never had a chance to get grant money for cars.
"The equipment grants we give out are typically for $10,000 or less," said Neil Moore, executive director of the Justice Institute. "If you look at what we funded in the past you will see we don't fund cars for large police agencies."
IMPD was requesting $1.3 million for cars. The total request was $1.7 million dollars. The money is needed to match Federal money the city's taking to cover salaries for 50 new police officers in 2010. By taking the federal money the city has to guarantee it can buy equipment for the new police and cover their salaries after three years.
"We were a little surprised, we were counting on it," said Valerie Washington, CFO for public safety.
Grant papers obtained by Fox59 News say the city is in a current "tax crisis" and is 18 months behind in collecting taxes.
The city also asked for line items including $70,000 for 50 new police uniforms, $179,000 for 50 handheld radios, $140,00 for firearm training, $10,000 for training material, and $3,950 for 50 pagers for recruits. The entire grant was rejected about three weeks ago.
"Since then we've been working with the controller's office, the grant unit to find alternative funding sources," said Washington.
She also said the grant writers had consulted with someone at the ICJI about the requests for equipment. City officials say the federal grant description did cover allotments for cars. But Moore says local police agencies like IMPD know the Institute's history and rejection of funding for police cars.
"We only provide one or two cars for very small police departments in need," said Moore.
Discoveries like this will tell us whether the City-County Council actually approved a balanced budget for 2010 as advertised. The City claims it expects to have a $15 million surplus next year. I would point out that the 2007 65%, $90 million a year increase in the local income tax was supposed to include funding for 100 new police officers that had never been funded as promised earlier in his administration of then-Mayor Bart Peterson. Mayor Greg Ballard, simiilarly, didn't used those additional income tax revenues to fill 100 new positions. Instead, he is filling half of those positions using one-time federal grant money. How will we pay for those positions when the federal grant money is exhausted? We obviously don't even have the funding to purchase their police cars, uniforms, etc. This is why City-County Councilors should do a more thorough job scrutinizing the budgets presented to them and not simply rubber stamp what has been put in front of them by the Controller's Office.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
All I gotta say is" Yea Right"...They are now covering ...hurting the citizens
Indianapolis - 13 Investigates has found repeated, critical food safety violations at Lucas Oil Stadium. Health inspectors have been flagging the food, saying those type of violations put customers at risk.
After months of research, we broke the story to fans at Sunday afternoon's game.
Sunday afternoon in downtown Indianapolis, it's not just about football. It's also about the food. Inside the stadium, there is all manner of comfort food available: chicken fingers, pizza, cheeseburgers, nachos, pretzels and hot dogs.
This brand new facility is more than a football stadium. It's also a 63,000-seat restaurant. Centerplate is the company that runs the stadium's food operations, and, like any other restaurant, Lucas Oil Stadium gets inspected.
What health inspectors found here will certainly give you some food for thought.
For months, 13 Investigates has been examining thousands of inspection reports dating back to when the stadium opened. Those reports show a staggering number of food safety violations, including many critical violations -- the kind that health inspectors say can make customers sick.
Health inspections found lots of mouse droppings. Inspectors found them in storage rooms and kitchens. They even found mouse droppings in an oven. Inspectors also found dead mice and after repeated warnings, they then found numerous live mice running throughout a loge level kitchen.
"Mice can carry food borne illness like salmonella," said Ed Culver, who oversees the food safety program for the Marion County Health Department. He says the stadium has had a widespread rodent problem in its first year of operation.
Culver wouldn't say that the mouse problem has been eliminated. "I'd say it's under control. One wouldn't want to say it's totally eliminated."
Culver says inspections this fall have shown more signs of mice and there are plenty of other violations from the past twelve months like employees not washing their hands, food contaminated and in unsafe condition, disposable food containers being used more than once, employees not knowing how to safely cook food and dozens of foods sitting at improper temperatures. That can quickly lead to bacteria growing on the food and that can make you sick. Yet inspectors found popular items such as hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza sitting at potentially dangerous temperatures.
Culver said those problems are supposed to be corrected immediately. But 13 Investigates has learned many of the problems were not fixed right away. For example, inspectors cited the same kitchen with critical food temperature violations on five straight inspections.
"I wonder why the food service provider wasn't fired after this many violations," said one fan.
"All of it's common sense issues that should be solved. None of this should be happening," said another.
Eventually the health department took some drastic measures by issuing citations and fines. Inspectors wrote the citations to send a clear message.
"The basic message is they have to pay utmost attention to the basics of food safety. They have a lot of consumers who are depending on them to protect their health," said Culver.
It's important to note that all stadiums have food safety violations. But the Marion County Health Department says in the past year, there were a lot more violations here than they would have expected.
13 investigates has tallied up all the violations, all the citations and all the fines and, tonight at 11:00 pm, you'll get to see just how many we're talking about. You'll hear from Centerplate. The company insists the food here is perfectly safe. All that coming up, when our investigation continues tonight.
This story will be updated.
Colts send letter to fans
Tuesday evening, the Indianapolis Colts e-mailed the following message to season ticket holders about the 13 Investigates report:
There was a recent media report concerning the sanitation and safety of certain food operations areas inside Lucas Oil Stadium. The Indianapolis Colts are in the process of confirming that any problem is promptly resolved. Nothing is more important to the Indianapolis Colts than the health and safety of our fans. We also believe that anything that can be controlled, such as sanitation, should never be compromised. The entities directly in control of food operations at Lucas Oil Stadium, Centerplate and the CIB, have assured us that they are thoroughly investigating the report and that any issues they identify will be corrected immediately. We are monitoring the progress of the investigation and we have every confidence that the professionals at Centerplate and the CIB will fulfill their commitment.
Sincerely,
The Indianapolis Colts
After months of research, we broke the story to fans at Sunday afternoon's game.
Sunday afternoon in downtown Indianapolis, it's not just about football. It's also about the food. Inside the stadium, there is all manner of comfort food available: chicken fingers, pizza, cheeseburgers, nachos, pretzels and hot dogs.
This brand new facility is more than a football stadium. It's also a 63,000-seat restaurant. Centerplate is the company that runs the stadium's food operations, and, like any other restaurant, Lucas Oil Stadium gets inspected.
What health inspectors found here will certainly give you some food for thought.
For months, 13 Investigates has been examining thousands of inspection reports dating back to when the stadium opened. Those reports show a staggering number of food safety violations, including many critical violations -- the kind that health inspectors say can make customers sick.
Health inspections found lots of mouse droppings. Inspectors found them in storage rooms and kitchens. They even found mouse droppings in an oven. Inspectors also found dead mice and after repeated warnings, they then found numerous live mice running throughout a loge level kitchen.
"Mice can carry food borne illness like salmonella," said Ed Culver, who oversees the food safety program for the Marion County Health Department. He says the stadium has had a widespread rodent problem in its first year of operation.
Culver wouldn't say that the mouse problem has been eliminated. "I'd say it's under control. One wouldn't want to say it's totally eliminated."
Culver says inspections this fall have shown more signs of mice and there are plenty of other violations from the past twelve months like employees not washing their hands, food contaminated and in unsafe condition, disposable food containers being used more than once, employees not knowing how to safely cook food and dozens of foods sitting at improper temperatures. That can quickly lead to bacteria growing on the food and that can make you sick. Yet inspectors found popular items such as hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza sitting at potentially dangerous temperatures.
Culver said those problems are supposed to be corrected immediately. But 13 Investigates has learned many of the problems were not fixed right away. For example, inspectors cited the same kitchen with critical food temperature violations on five straight inspections.
"I wonder why the food service provider wasn't fired after this many violations," said one fan.
"All of it's common sense issues that should be solved. None of this should be happening," said another.
Eventually the health department took some drastic measures by issuing citations and fines. Inspectors wrote the citations to send a clear message.
"The basic message is they have to pay utmost attention to the basics of food safety. They have a lot of consumers who are depending on them to protect their health," said Culver.
It's important to note that all stadiums have food safety violations. But the Marion County Health Department says in the past year, there were a lot more violations here than they would have expected.
13 investigates has tallied up all the violations, all the citations and all the fines and, tonight at 11:00 pm, you'll get to see just how many we're talking about. You'll hear from Centerplate. The company insists the food here is perfectly safe. All that coming up, when our investigation continues tonight.
This story will be updated.
Colts send letter to fans
Tuesday evening, the Indianapolis Colts e-mailed the following message to season ticket holders about the 13 Investigates report:
There was a recent media report concerning the sanitation and safety of certain food operations areas inside Lucas Oil Stadium. The Indianapolis Colts are in the process of confirming that any problem is promptly resolved. Nothing is more important to the Indianapolis Colts than the health and safety of our fans. We also believe that anything that can be controlled, such as sanitation, should never be compromised. The entities directly in control of food operations at Lucas Oil Stadium, Centerplate and the CIB, have assured us that they are thoroughly investigating the report and that any issues they identify will be corrected immediately. We are monitoring the progress of the investigation and we have every confidence that the professionals at Centerplate and the CIB will fulfill their commitment.
Sincerely,
The Indianapolis Colts
Looks like MORe Dirty Politics in InDY..Can I get a Smoke
E-Mail News Alerts
Get breaking news and daily headlines.
Browse all e-mail newsletters
Related To Story
Video: Smoking Ban Vote Could Put Ballard In Tough Spot
Smoking Ban Vote Could Put Ballard In Tough Spot
Revived Anti-Smoking Ordinance Leaves Mayor In Quandary
POSTED: 7:01 pm EST November 10, 2009
UPDATED: 8:35 pm EST November 10, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS -- A renewed effort to toughen Indianapolis' anti-smoking ordinance could put Mayor Greg Ballard in a tough position.
The City-County Council voted Monday night to put the ban, which would add bars, bowling alleys and private clubs to the current ban passed in 2005, back under consideration.
Two weeks ago, it was tabled when it didn't get the 15 votes needed to either pass or fail.
Shortly before the vote, Ballard urged Republican council members to vote no on expanding the ban to save him from issuing a veto, despite the fact that he pledged support for smoke-free work places during his election campaign, 6News' Norman Cox reported.
Anti-smoking activists said they are happy that a bipartisan coalition of council members voted to revive the proposed ordinance that failed last month.
"It was very clever in that procedural maneuvering on behalf of our supporters to bring it off the table and carry it forward to Nov. 30," said Tim Filler of Smoke Free Indy.
But Brad Klopfenstein, the head of the group Save Indianapolis Bars, said he suspects Democratic councilors who voted to revive the ban are out to embarrass Ballard more than to pass the ordinance.
"If he comes out and says he's going to veto it, that gives the Democrats reason to en masse vote in favor of it," Klopfenstein said. "That way it's not them voting against the smoking ban, it's Mayor Ballard vetoing it. If he doesn't come out publicly, then they can say that he's not showing leadership. So it's a lose-lose for the mayor."
Ballard, in a rare interview on the topic Tuesday, denied that he's showing a lack of leadership, but won't say what he plans to do next.
"This is a balance between public health and civil liberties," he said. "My take on this is that most of the people in Indianapolis are going to fall on the civil liberties side of this."
So will he address the council, or at least the Republican members before the next vote?
Ballard would not answer whether or not he would veto the ordinance if it passes.
Councilors could vote on the ban again on Nov. 30.
Get breaking news and daily headlines.
Browse all e-mail newsletters
Related To Story
Video: Smoking Ban Vote Could Put Ballard In Tough Spot
Smoking Ban Vote Could Put Ballard In Tough Spot
Revived Anti-Smoking Ordinance Leaves Mayor In Quandary
POSTED: 7:01 pm EST November 10, 2009
UPDATED: 8:35 pm EST November 10, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS -- A renewed effort to toughen Indianapolis' anti-smoking ordinance could put Mayor Greg Ballard in a tough position.
The City-County Council voted Monday night to put the ban, which would add bars, bowling alleys and private clubs to the current ban passed in 2005, back under consideration.
Two weeks ago, it was tabled when it didn't get the 15 votes needed to either pass or fail.
Shortly before the vote, Ballard urged Republican council members to vote no on expanding the ban to save him from issuing a veto, despite the fact that he pledged support for smoke-free work places during his election campaign, 6News' Norman Cox reported.
Anti-smoking activists said they are happy that a bipartisan coalition of council members voted to revive the proposed ordinance that failed last month.
"It was very clever in that procedural maneuvering on behalf of our supporters to bring it off the table and carry it forward to Nov. 30," said Tim Filler of Smoke Free Indy.
But Brad Klopfenstein, the head of the group Save Indianapolis Bars, said he suspects Democratic councilors who voted to revive the ban are out to embarrass Ballard more than to pass the ordinance.
"If he comes out and says he's going to veto it, that gives the Democrats reason to en masse vote in favor of it," Klopfenstein said. "That way it's not them voting against the smoking ban, it's Mayor Ballard vetoing it. If he doesn't come out publicly, then they can say that he's not showing leadership. So it's a lose-lose for the mayor."
Ballard, in a rare interview on the topic Tuesday, denied that he's showing a lack of leadership, but won't say what he plans to do next.
"This is a balance between public health and civil liberties," he said. "My take on this is that most of the people in Indianapolis are going to fall on the civil liberties side of this."
So will he address the council, or at least the Republican members before the next vote?
Ballard would not answer whether or not he would veto the ordinance if it passes.
Councilors could vote on the ban again on Nov. 30.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Officer of the Year
Less than two years ago, Candi Perry was named the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's officer of the year. Then she was honored as the department's top community policing officer for 2008.
Now, Perry faces the possibility of prison.
The celebrated officer -- who is credited with building bridges between the department and the Hispanic community -- is accused of lying to a detective during a homicide investigation.
Perry's indictment, handed down last week by a grand jury and filed Monday in Marion Superior Court, is the latest in a troubling string of IMPD officer arrests on misconduct-related charges during the past two years.
But this one is particularly prickly. Perry's attorney claims the officer is being harassed for her clumsy handling of an informant's tips and says her case shouldn't have become a criminal matter.
Even after her release from jail late Tuesday, her work as a neighborhood resource officer won raves from her district commander.
"We created a lot of new and better relationships in the Hispanic community because of her," said Maj. Paul Ciesielski. "I need five more officers like her."
Perry, 47, has been suspended and could face termination. The indictment charges her with felony official misconduct and misdemeanor false reporting. A felony conviction could result in six months to three years in prison.
Perry's legal trouble stems from her involvement in a homicide investigation, outside her usual duties of arranging neighborhood watches and block meetings, visiting schools and building links with minority businesses. She also has served as a Spanish translator for other officers.
The indictment is scant on details. It says only that Perry provided false information to another officer during a homicide investigation and that "the false information did substantially hinder any law enforcement process."
Representatives for IMPD and the prosecutor's office wouldn't elaborate, citing grand jury secrecy rules.
Perry's attorney, Robert Turner, said accusations focus on Perry's handling of a confidential informant who approached her soon after a fatal shooting in June, claiming to have information about the killer in an unspecified homicide.
"They are saying she withheld information, that she in fact knew the suspect or the witness and even had been dating one or both," said Turner, who was public safety director under then-Mayor Bart Peterson.
Perry has denied any such relationship, he said, or any attempt to protect anyone.
Turner defended her actions as those of someone unfamiliar with homicide investigation protocol and said she would fight the charges.
After receiving the informant's tips, Turner said, Perry passed them to a detective. But she quickly drew criticism for not providing the informant's name or contact information, which Turner said she didn't know.
Perry was able to reach the reluctant informant again, though whether she had to wait for him to call her or knew how to call the witness directly, Turner said, is a subject of dispute.
It's unclear what effect Perry's involvement had on the investigation into the slaying of Herman A. Clark, 48, a homeless man whose body was found June 25 in a park in the 3100 block of Rader Street on the Near Northside.
Police said they later arrested Dontae L. Davis, 22, who faces murder and robbery charges.
Perry became defensive and angry when the focus turned toward her conduct, Turner said. More recently, he said, she did not testify before the grand jury because Turner would not have been able to ask questions of her after prosecutors did.
"They interpreted everything as elusive," Turner said. "All she did was try to help; maybe clumsily, maybe in an agitated way after she was yelled at, but she isn't a homicide investigator."
Interim Public Safety Director Mark Renner said he did not know whether any detectives testified before the grand jury, adding that he was unaware of the probe until the indictment was announced.
"They have their own investigators on the grand jury," Renner said. "It is disappointing because I understand she was a fine officer."
Perry was hired by the Marion County Sheriff's Department four years ago and joined IMPD in the 2007 police merger, soon becoming the Northwest District's Hispanic liaison. Her personnel file was not released Wednesday.
Ciesielski, the district commander, said Perry was a goodwill ambassador for the police and helped alleviate fear of the police among Hispanics.
Several Hispanic community activists agreed.
"She has always been there for our community," Veronica Guerrero, a Westside business owner and community activist, said in Spanish. "So many people like her."
Now, Perry faces the possibility of prison.
The celebrated officer -- who is credited with building bridges between the department and the Hispanic community -- is accused of lying to a detective during a homicide investigation.
Perry's indictment, handed down last week by a grand jury and filed Monday in Marion Superior Court, is the latest in a troubling string of IMPD officer arrests on misconduct-related charges during the past two years.
But this one is particularly prickly. Perry's attorney claims the officer is being harassed for her clumsy handling of an informant's tips and says her case shouldn't have become a criminal matter.
Even after her release from jail late Tuesday, her work as a neighborhood resource officer won raves from her district commander.
"We created a lot of new and better relationships in the Hispanic community because of her," said Maj. Paul Ciesielski. "I need five more officers like her."
Perry, 47, has been suspended and could face termination. The indictment charges her with felony official misconduct and misdemeanor false reporting. A felony conviction could result in six months to three years in prison.
Perry's legal trouble stems from her involvement in a homicide investigation, outside her usual duties of arranging neighborhood watches and block meetings, visiting schools and building links with minority businesses. She also has served as a Spanish translator for other officers.
The indictment is scant on details. It says only that Perry provided false information to another officer during a homicide investigation and that "the false information did substantially hinder any law enforcement process."
Representatives for IMPD and the prosecutor's office wouldn't elaborate, citing grand jury secrecy rules.
Perry's attorney, Robert Turner, said accusations focus on Perry's handling of a confidential informant who approached her soon after a fatal shooting in June, claiming to have information about the killer in an unspecified homicide.
"They are saying she withheld information, that she in fact knew the suspect or the witness and even had been dating one or both," said Turner, who was public safety director under then-Mayor Bart Peterson.
Perry has denied any such relationship, he said, or any attempt to protect anyone.
Turner defended her actions as those of someone unfamiliar with homicide investigation protocol and said she would fight the charges.
After receiving the informant's tips, Turner said, Perry passed them to a detective. But she quickly drew criticism for not providing the informant's name or contact information, which Turner said she didn't know.
Perry was able to reach the reluctant informant again, though whether she had to wait for him to call her or knew how to call the witness directly, Turner said, is a subject of dispute.
It's unclear what effect Perry's involvement had on the investigation into the slaying of Herman A. Clark, 48, a homeless man whose body was found June 25 in a park in the 3100 block of Rader Street on the Near Northside.
Police said they later arrested Dontae L. Davis, 22, who faces murder and robbery charges.
Perry became defensive and angry when the focus turned toward her conduct, Turner said. More recently, he said, she did not testify before the grand jury because Turner would not have been able to ask questions of her after prosecutors did.
"They interpreted everything as elusive," Turner said. "All she did was try to help; maybe clumsily, maybe in an agitated way after she was yelled at, but she isn't a homicide investigator."
Interim Public Safety Director Mark Renner said he did not know whether any detectives testified before the grand jury, adding that he was unaware of the probe until the indictment was announced.
"They have their own investigators on the grand jury," Renner said. "It is disappointing because I understand she was a fine officer."
Perry was hired by the Marion County Sheriff's Department four years ago and joined IMPD in the 2007 police merger, soon becoming the Northwest District's Hispanic liaison. Her personnel file was not released Wednesday.
Ciesielski, the district commander, said Perry was a goodwill ambassador for the police and helped alleviate fear of the police among Hispanics.
Several Hispanic community activists agreed.
"She has always been there for our community," Veronica Guerrero, a Westside business owner and community activist, said in Spanish. "So many people like her."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)