ITS ABOUT TIME SPEARS WAS OUT!!

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will soon have a new leader, Mayor Greg Ballard's office confirmed Monday morning.

Paul Ciesielski, the department's northwest district commander and a 23-year veteran of the department, will be named chief this week, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.

"I'm very humbled, very excited. I'm ready to go," Ciesielski told Rinehart on Monday. "As far as my plans and vision goes, I'll wait until (the officials announcement on) Thursday to talk about that. Right now, I just want to thank Chief (Michael) Spears for the service he has given."


Ciesielski will replace Spears, who has been at that post since March 2005, and oversaw the merger of Indianapolis police with the Marion County Sheriff's Department.

Spears said he wasn't made aware of the move until after he, Mayor Greg Ballard and Public Safety Director Frank Straub presided over the swearing in of the department's newest recruit class Monday morning.

"I suppose someone in my position, you're never surprised because you serve at the pleasure of the mayor," he said.

Both Ballard and Straub praised Spears' work, but said Ciesielski's name surfaced during interviews that were conducted with focus groups from within the department and in interviews with individual officers.

"When you hear across the department the recognition of his talent, when you hear from the faith-based community talks about his talents, you hear from the community generally about his talents, and I'm sure when you spend some time with him, I'm sure you'll see he's a very energetic and thoughtful person," Straub said.

Straub, in his office for just seven weeks, is an advocate of community policing and aggressive enforcement in high crime areas.

"What I think is interesting is that he (Ciesielski) comes from within IMPD, and Public Safety Director Frank Straub comes from outside IMPD," 6News' political contributor Hakim-Shabazz said. "There had been a question of, 'Do you bring an outsider to take over for the chief and can the outsider do as well?' I think it makes a lot of the rank-and-file officers feel secure."

Ciesielski's wife, Donna, is also a member of the department -- a 25-year veteran officer who currently works an organized crime detail.

An official announcement is expected to happen on Thursday. It was not immediately known what role Spears will take.

When will It Stop and When will Spears be held accountable

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis police officer was charged Wednesday with five felony counts in connection with a rape accusation made over the weekend.

Courtney Harris, 33, pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual misconduct, criminal confinement, intimidation, official misconduct and obstruction of justice during an initial court appearance on Wednesday.

Prosecutors said Harris had sex with a 26-year-old woman while he was on duty Saturday.


The woman told investigators that she encountered Harris near 10th and Rural streets and that he followed her, grabbed her and took her to an area near an abandoned warehouse, where he had sex with her.

According to court documents, Harris gave the woman $12 and told her that's all the encounter was worth.

"The incident involving police Officer Courtney Harris is inconsistent with the values and integrity of the officers who serve at the (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department)," Chief Michael Spears said in a news release. "Officer Harris' action tarnished the department and broke the trust that the community has placed in the police department."

Authorities said Harris admitted having sex with the woman but said that the encounter was consensual.

Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said his office is still investigating.

"The one charge we did not file, because we are awaiting fuhrer evidence ... is rape. The thing we want to be sure about is the force element," he said.

The woman has a criminal past, including charges related to prostitution, drugs and criminal recklessness.

Harris' attorney, Terrance Kinard, said the there should not be a rush to judgment.

"Most people don't want to go to jail. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for her to make those statements simply because she didn't want to go to jail," he said.

Indianapolis police Lt. Jeff Duhamell said Monday that Harris, a six-year veteran of the department, had been recommended for termination. Harris was being held Wednesday in the Marion County Jail on $50,000 bond.