Council Refuses To OK Police Fund Transfer
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Friction between Warsaw's city council and the Warsaw Police Department continued Monday as the council refused to approve an internal financial transfer requested by Police Chief Craig Allebach.
The $5,000 transfer involved funds already in WPD's budget, and was a request to simply move the money from one internal account to another.
Three council members voted in favor of the transfer; three voted against it. The seventh council member, Gene Brumfield, was not at the meeting, and Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins does not have a vote and could not break the tie.
Councilmen voting against the transfer - Dewey Lawshe, Jerry Patterson and Paul Siebenmorgen - said they opposed the transfer because Allebach's request was too vague. The request said the transfers were necessary "to cover expenses for supplies and repairs and maintenance."
Allebach was not present at the meeting, and could not be reached by phone Monday night.
"We've got to have more clarification of this," Lawshe said of the transfer request. "He can't just go out and buy ..."
Asked today about his request, Allebach said it was to pay for gasoline and supplies and to keep some money on hand in case any emergency repairs come up before the end of the year.
"They've already approved that I can spend that money, it's just that I'm transferring it to another category," he said. "It's not like I'm asking for any additional money that's not already been approved."
Since the request must be approved or denied before the end of 1997, the council will discuss it at noon Monday in the Shrine Building during the Warsaw city employees' Christmas lunch.
The transfer debate highlighted the difference of opinion between the police department and the council. Lawshe, a vocal opponent of several police programs, including personal police vehicles, confirmed that difference when he said after the meeting: "I'd like a new police chief under my Christmas tree."
Lawshe said he believes the 10 years Allebach has been chief is too long, and he believes there is a conflict of interest with Allebach being on the Warsaw school board while being chief.
"He controls a lot of money here and at the school board," Lawshe said. "Nobody should have that kind of power in this community - it's too small."
Allebach this morning said he is aware of the friction between the police department and the council, but he doesn't know why it exists.
"I don't understand what the issues are with them," he said. "Nobody's saying that I'm not doing a good job. ... Nobody's saying that I've done anything wrong."
He said the situation has contributed to low morale on the police force, where the perception is that the council does not support the department.
"The overall morale that I see today is as bad as it's been in 10 years," he said. "I spend more of my time trying to cheer people up than I ever have.
"A lot of things that used to be cut and dried before, especially for the police department, are not that way anymore. I can't change people's attitude ... I just continue to hang in here and do the best job I can." [[In-content Ad]]
Friction between Warsaw's city council and the Warsaw Police Department continued Monday as the council refused to approve an internal financial transfer requested by Police Chief Craig Allebach.
The $5,000 transfer involved funds already in WPD's budget, and was a request to simply move the money from one internal account to another.
Three council members voted in favor of the transfer; three voted against it. The seventh council member, Gene Brumfield, was not at the meeting, and Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins does not have a vote and could not break the tie.
Councilmen voting against the transfer - Dewey Lawshe, Jerry Patterson and Paul Siebenmorgen - said they opposed the transfer because Allebach's request was too vague. The request said the transfers were necessary "to cover expenses for supplies and repairs and maintenance."
Allebach was not present at the meeting, and could not be reached by phone Monday night.
"We've got to have more clarification of this," Lawshe said of the transfer request. "He can't just go out and buy ..."
Asked today about his request, Allebach said it was to pay for gasoline and supplies and to keep some money on hand in case any emergency repairs come up before the end of the year.
"They've already approved that I can spend that money, it's just that I'm transferring it to another category," he said. "It's not like I'm asking for any additional money that's not already been approved."
Since the request must be approved or denied before the end of 1997, the council will discuss it at noon Monday in the Shrine Building during the Warsaw city employees' Christmas lunch.
The transfer debate highlighted the difference of opinion between the police department and the council. Lawshe, a vocal opponent of several police programs, including personal police vehicles, confirmed that difference when he said after the meeting: "I'd like a new police chief under my Christmas tree."
Lawshe said he believes the 10 years Allebach has been chief is too long, and he believes there is a conflict of interest with Allebach being on the Warsaw school board while being chief.
"He controls a lot of money here and at the school board," Lawshe said. "Nobody should have that kind of power in this community - it's too small."
Allebach this morning said he is aware of the friction between the police department and the council, but he doesn't know why it exists.
"I don't understand what the issues are with them," he said. "Nobody's saying that I'm not doing a good job. ... Nobody's saying that I've done anything wrong."
He said the situation has contributed to low morale on the police force, where the perception is that the council does not support the department.
"The overall morale that I see today is as bad as it's been in 10 years," he said. "I spend more of my time trying to cheer people up than I ever have.
"A lot of things that used to be cut and dried before, especially for the police department, are not that way anymore. I can't change people's attitude ... I just continue to hang in here and do the best job I can." [[In-content Ad]]