BISARD INVESTIGATION
Council ready to present proposals to investigate Bisard crash

Republicans and Democrats on the City County Council tell Fox59 News they may be willing to compromise and work with each other to review IMPD polices and investigate the department's reaction after an officer fatally struck a motorcycle rider last month.

Three proposals will be introduced and referred to committee Monday night during the next meeting of the City County Council.

Proposal 255, sponsored by republican Ben Hunter, a former IMPD officer, seeks to tighten up the department's hiring and promotional practices, have IMPD attain national accreditation and review the take-home car policy for its officers.

"We want to make sure you just can't read a book and do well on an interview and then forget everything and be called a leader in the department," said Hunter. "We want to see the department progress."


Proposal 257, introduced by democrats after a Fox 59 investigation into the demotion of three top officers following the Bisard crash, calls for a bi-partisan probe of the department's leadership.

"The public has lost confidence in IMPD and we need to take steps both in the short run and in the long run to reestablish that," said Brian Mahern, a democrat.

A third proposal, 256, has bi-partisan support and would establish a commission to review police misconduct and policies.

Hunter told Fox 59 News that he could see  his proposal for systemic change of IMPD folded into the third proposal and while he is not opposed to a council investigation of the department's reaction to the Bisard crash, he favors waiting until an FBI report on the case is written.