Citations Affected:
IC 36-8-10-11.
Synopsis: County police officer suspension. Reduces from 15 days to
five days the period during which a sheriff may temporarily suspend a
county police officer with or without pay without a hearing before the
sheriff's merit board.
Effective: July 1, 2001.
January 8, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning local
government.
officer may:
(1) be a candidate for elective office and serve in that office if
elected;
(2) be appointed to an office and serve in that office if appointed;
and
(3) except when in uniform or on duty, solicit votes or campaign
funds for the officer or others.
(d) The board has subpoena powers enforceable by the circuit court
for hearings under this section. An officer on probation may be
dismissed by the sheriff without a right to a hearing.
(e) An appeal under subsection (a) must be taken by filing in court,
within thirty (30) days after the date the decision is rendered, a verified
complaint stating in a concise manner the general nature of the charges
against the officer, the decision of the board, and a demand for the
relief asserted by the officer. A bond must also be filed that guarantees
the appeal will be prosecuted to a final determination and that the
plaintiff will pay all costs only if the court finds that the board's
decision should be affirmed. The bond must be approved as bonds for
costs are approved in other cases. The county must be named as the
sole defendant, and the plaintiff shall have a summons issued as in
other cases against the county. Neither the board nor the members of
it may be made parties defendant to the complaint, but all are bound by
service upon the county and the judgment rendered by the court.
(f) All appeals shall be tried by the court. The appeal shall be heard
de novo only upon any new issues related to the charges upon which
the decision of the board was made. Within ten (10) days after the
service of summons, the board shall file in court a complete written
transcript of all papers, entries, and other parts of the record relating to
the particular case. Inspection of these documents by the person
affected, or by the person's agent, must be permitted by the board
before the appeal is filed, if requested. The court shall review the
record and decision of the board on appeal.
(g) The court shall make specific findings and state the conclusions
of law upon which its decision is made. If the court finds that the
decision of the board appealed from should in all things be affirmed,
its judgment should so state. If the court finds that the decision of the
board appealed from should not be affirmed in all things, then the court
shall make a general finding, setting out sufficient facts to show the
nature of the proceeding and the court's decision on it. The court shall
either:
(1) reverse the decision of the board; or
(2) order the decision of the board to be modified.