Comments on: YOU CALL THIS AN ARGUMENT?

By: Outsider

Outsider — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:16:19 +0000

Sonny Wyatt retired? Who will be assigned the duty of informing the peashake, illegal gambling”, house owners of the impending raids several hours before they happen?

By: Really

Really — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:11:50 +0000

OK. I am missing something. I thought consolidation (in particular police consolidation) was supposed to streamline government and save us money. Doesn’t this look like de-consolidation? I mean, even state officials want consolidation (see barties Indyworks). Either give the Command all of it, the entire operation to the sheriff and then eliminate the public safety position and his assistants. Or, give the entire Command to the Mayor and eliminate the sheriff position and his assistants. But in the end, I need to ask, will the current mayor (and current public safety director), with NO law enforcement background of any kind, be a better leaders in the fight against crime. Was the last mayor and last public safety director that effective? Or was Goldsmith and Dr. Alan Handt that effective?

By: Concerned Taxpayer & Citizen

Concerned Taxpayer & Citizen — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 01:42:54 +0000

No one ever bothers to check the sheriff’s budget. They always concentrate on the city’s budget.

The sheriff has many employees that retired for $70-80,000 a year pension, then hires them right back as “civilian” ranking officers at $90,000 a year.

Then there are people like Sonny Wyatt who I understand just retired from IMPD and immediately went to work for the sheriff and has a brand new shiny Ford Crown Vic. Wonder what job they invented for him?

By: Time Take a Closer Look

Time Take a Closer Look — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:49:27 +0000

$700,00000 while prvious advisors averaged $10,000?!!!!

If this is true, someone needs to request all the invoices and audit them. I’m sure he was doing non-Sheriffin’ legal work or had 2, 3 or 4 contracts/positions that probably conflict. You never know, he may have even billed to defend and oppose, Aaron Haith style. No one been eyeing the sherrif’s billing. We need to take a CLOSER look.

We also need to see who is feeding the prisoners. Anderson gave that contract to the now-bankrupt Payton Wells, the car dealer. I wonder who has it now, a shoe saleman?

I smell a rat!!!!!!!!!!!

If Murray was paid that much, and it’s not proper, we need to get this money back, the police department could buy quite a few new units with that money.

By: Concerned Taxpayer & Citizen

Concerned Taxpayer & Citizen — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:11:05 +0000

Kevin Murray was paid $700,000 in 2007. That compares with an average of around $10,000/year for previous legal advisors.

By: varangianguard

varangianguard — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:27:15 +0000

It’s breaking now. The Mayor and the Sheriff have come to some sort of agreement where the Mayor gets pretty much what he wants without Sheriff Anderson fighting it anymore.

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:50:23 +0000

BrosephII. If you actually believe what you have written, well, what can one say. Sorry for you. Listen to the officers under an Anderson led organization. They think it is a joke.

By: 7th District Wonder of the World

7th District Wonder of the World — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:26:15 +0000

Dear Proud Indy Resident: get over it. Bart is gone and we all know the reason why.

By: BrosephII

BrosephII — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:34:45 +0000

Let’s revisit these one by one:
1. “There will be one person in charge of the Police Department, The Mayor.” - There is already one elected official in charge of IMPD, so why change it?
2. “Yes the public will be able to vote on who is responsible for IMPD, he’s called the Mayor.” - The public already gets to vote on who is in charge of IMPD, he’s called the Sheriff, so why change it?
3. “Any transition costs will be nominal. Actually the taxpayers will save money because that’s less hours Kevin Murray, the Sheriff’s attorney, will get to bill.” - Somebody who complains about what school systems do with their vending machine money is calling taxpayer expenses nominal? Also, if Mr. Murray doesn’t do the work, who will? It has to be done by somebody.
4. “IMPD didn’t even exist when Frank was re-elected.” - Technically you’re right, it didn’t exist. But the transition was well under way, and it was highly publicized that whomever won the election in Nov. of 2006, would preside over the newly formed IMPD.
5. “Whatever! Actually crime has gone up since Frank was elected Sheriff, Don’t believe me, click here.” - I guess you can make any argument when you only look at data that proves your point, while excluding everything else.

And another point that they are forgetting:
Why would we want to move IMPD out from under someone who has law enforcement experience and place under the control of someone who has none?

By: IndyIndie

IndyIndie — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:51:48 +0000

I just want to point out that the County Sheriff is a Constitutionally created office so regardless of who ends up with control, we will still have a Marion County Sheriff, unless there is a constitutional amendment. Ind. Const. Art. VI, Section 2. Additionally, I am pretty sure that the sheriff is enabled by state statute to run the county jail, hold foreclosure sales, and collect unpaid taxes. So we are really just talking about IMPD, because regardless we will still have a sheriff with governmental responsibilities.