Warsaw Police Dept. patrolman Tony Faucett is retiring from his duties effective Jan. 10, and he will be reinstated until that date.
He will not be terminated from his duties as originally requested by Warsaw Police Chief Perry Hunter at the Sept. 4 Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety meeting.
During Friday's board meeting, Mike Miner, attorney representing Hunter, said that Hunter has agreed to allow Faucett to retire, instead of being terminated.
Miner said the present status is that Faucett has tendered his retirement letter effective Jan. 10.
"I would recommend this as being a good resolution for the situation particularly for the fact that Officer Faucett has pending criminal charges against him," Miner said.
Board member and City Council President Joe Thallemer corrected Miner by saying, "As a point of clarification, he's involved in criminal cases that are set for trial."
Mayor Ernie Wiggins, City Councilman Charlie Smith and Thallemer approved a recommendation Friday to reinstate Faucett as a WPD officer until Jan. 10 and accept Faucett's retirement.
If Prosecuting Attorney Steve Hearn needs Faucett to testify for a case as an active duty policeman, Faucett will be allowed to do so. Faucett also will be allowed to use his vacation and sick days until Jan. 10.
"Having been a prosecutor, I can tell you that cases become difficult to prove when police officers are not able to testify," Miner said Friday.
Hunter presented a letter to the board during the Sept. 4 Board of Works meeting with alleged violations Faucett committed.
The alleged violations included Faucett neglecting duties by failing to act in the proper performance of his duties by failing to submit all written and oral reports as required by the rules and regulations of WPD.The board voted at its Sept. 4 meeting to suspend Faucett with pay until Sept. 30. Faucett requested at the Sept. 4 meeting that a hearing be held to continue discussion on the issue.
Faucett was hired Jan. 1, 1990, as a WPD patrol officer, according to Warsaw Human Resources Director Jennifer Whitaker. He also held detective and lieutenant positions at WPD.
