FORT WAYNE - Domestic battery charges against a former Warsaw probationary police officer have been declined by the Allen County Prosecutor's Office.

Joseph Robert Klaehn was relieved of his duties as a probationary officer at the Warsaw Police Department Friday after an incident in Fort Wayne involving Klaehn and his wife. Klaehn was accused of hitting his wife and was booked into the Allen County Jail on one count of domestic battery at 2:35 a.m. Friday.
In a report from the Fort Wayne Police Department, Klaehn maintained his innocence in the incident.

Warsaw Police Chief Perry Hunter met with Klaehn at the police station Friday night to inform him he was fired. The meeting lasted approximately 15 minutes.

Since Klaehn was a probationary officer, he was fired immediately instead of being suspended as a regular officer would have been.

Klaehn was hired March 23 and promoted from probationary patrol officer to the second stage of his probationary status Oct. 17. He was scheduled to attend the Indiana State Police Academy in January.