Council Avoids PPV Issue

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer-

Warsaw's city council refused to debate the police department's personal patrol vehicle policy Monday at the October council meeting.

In response to a city resident's request for the council to reconsider its previous decision on family members riding in PPVs, only one council member spoke up.

"I think she's 100 percent correct," said council member Tammy Rockey.

Rockey's comment was in response to Warsaw resident LuAnn Poling, who asked for a committee of police officers to discuss the issue with council members.

Poling said she was concerned that police officers with PPVs could not drop off family members at work, school or day care because of the council's policy of no family members in PPVs. The policy applies to both on- and off-duty officers.

Previously, on-duty officers could drop off family members if necessary. The policy changed last summer, when Police Chief Craig Allebach asked the council to allow off-duty officers the same consideration. The council then changed the policy so that no family members were allowed in police vehicles at any time.

"Something was taken away from them that I don't think was right," Poling said.

Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins said the topic was not on the agenda Monday.

"I will let the council approach me on whether or not they want to discuss it in the November meeting," he said.

In other business, the council approved:

• A 1998 salary ordinance setting the mayor's annual salary at $44,800, the clerk-treasurer's salary at $38,500 and council members' salary at $4,200.

• The master plan for the city, including proposed zoning revisions;

• A friendly annexation for the New Hope Free Will Baptist Church, which will be built on Ind. 15 north of Warsaw;

• Street light requests on the 600 block of South Columbia Street, on Wood Street, and near Ker Park on Market Street. A request for a light on Prairie Street near the new Combined Community Services building was tabled until council members could investigate further.

The city council's next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 17. [[In-content Ad]]

Warsaw's city council refused to debate the police department's personal patrol vehicle policy Monday at the October council meeting.

In response to a city resident's request for the council to reconsider its previous decision on family members riding in PPVs, only one council member spoke up.

"I think she's 100 percent correct," said council member Tammy Rockey.

Rockey's comment was in response to Warsaw resident LuAnn Poling, who asked for a committee of police officers to discuss the issue with council members.

Poling said she was concerned that police officers with PPVs could not drop off family members at work, school or day care because of the council's policy of no family members in PPVs. The policy applies to both on- and off-duty officers.

Previously, on-duty officers could drop off family members if necessary. The policy changed last summer, when Police Chief Craig Allebach asked the council to allow off-duty officers the same consideration. The council then changed the policy so that no family members were allowed in police vehicles at any time.

"Something was taken away from them that I don't think was right," Poling said.

Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins said the topic was not on the agenda Monday.

"I will let the council approach me on whether or not they want to discuss it in the November meeting," he said.

In other business, the council approved:

• A 1998 salary ordinance setting the mayor's annual salary at $44,800, the clerk-treasurer's salary at $38,500 and council members' salary at $4,200.

• The master plan for the city, including proposed zoning revisions;

• A friendly annexation for the New Hope Free Will Baptist Church, which will be built on Ind. 15 north of Warsaw;

• Street light requests on the 600 block of South Columbia Street, on Wood Street, and near Ker Park on Market Street. A request for a light on Prairie Street near the new Combined Community Services building was tabled until council members could investigate further.

The city council's next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 17. [[In-content Ad]]

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