Garrett complains about delay in police investigation | Thestar

Hefner also said he came to the meeting hoping to hear an update on the police investigation from DeKalb County District Attorney Neal Blythe, but he received none.

“I think it’s time to ask the question,” Hefner said. “Either you let the prosecutor make a decision, or you call at the state level (Indiana Attorney General Todd) Mr. Rokita or at the federal level (Federal Attorney General Clifford) Mr. Johnson.”

“It’s time to figure out why we can’t have a police department in Garrett. I don’t know anything about politics,” he said. “I don’t know why (Blythe) does what he does.”

“I worked in law enforcement for 41 years in two different states. I have seen police officers ‘gigliated.’ It’s rare, but I have never seen an entire police department shut down and told not to do their jobs.”

A Giglio or Brady list is a list, usually prepared by the district attorney’s office or police department, that contains the names and information of police officers who have been found to have repeatedly told falsehoods, have been criminally convicted, have had problems with candor, or who otherwise call their credibility into question.

“I think it’s time to go a step further and go to Mr. Rokita at the state level or Mr. Johnson at the federal level and do something,” Hefner said.

Later, in response to Hefner’s comments, Mayor Todd Fiandt cited multiple dates, beginning in January of this year, of attempts to reach Blythe through official city email addresses. Additionally, on two separate days in June, there were messages between Blythe and City Attorney Darrick Brinkerhoff regarding an impending decision on the matter, but none of these materialized.

“It’s not that I’m not trying,” Fiandt said of the situation.

City Councilman Brian Best suggested making the email exchange between Blythe and city officials public.

“I agree, our citizens are tired and want to know what’s going on,” said Best. “I think there’s a game going on here – I find it ridiculous that you keep being promised a deadline that isn’t kept, don’t you?”

“The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has done an outstanding job serving our citizens. I can’t thank them enough,” said Councilwoman Amanda Charles.

“But I believe (Sheriff) Brady Thomas announced maybe last week a specific time period or date when the sheriff’s department would step back from the full support that they have given us during this questionable period of time,” she said, adding that the county will continue to respond to emergencies and major incidents.

Charles agreed that it was time to move the issue forward as it left the city somewhat vulnerable.

Brinkerhoff warned that the information contained in the emails to the public prosecutor’s office should not be made public at this time, but that their content had been pointed out.

“I’m calling on Blythe to come and tell us what’s going on in a public meeting,” said Councilman Bobby Diederich. “I think the citizens are fed up. I’m fed up – I’m fed up. This is a bunch of nonsense. I’m calling on Neal Blythe to step up and explain himself.”

In other business, a public hearing was held on the proposed annexation of land owned by the Dircksen Family Irrevocable Trust into city limits. The 56-acre property is located at the northwest corner of SR 8 and CR 15 east of Garrett.

The annexation is a request to designate the property as a medium-intensity industrial zone. These are areas for medium to high-intensity industrial use, business parks, distribution operations and industrial parks.

When no public comment was initially taken at the public hearing, Diederich recognized a neighboring property owner in attendance and asked him if he had any questions or comments. The neighbor responded that he had come to the meeting to find out if any plans were in the works with the city, as he had heard rumors that either housing or industrial facilities would be built on the site.

Brinkerhoff said he was not currently permitted to disclose any plans he knew of between the Dircksen Family Trust and the buyers because “the whole thing is still pending.”

Once the annexation is approved, the new owners will present development plans to the Garrett Plan Commission in an open, public meeting, giving neighbors an opportunity to become more civic engaged, Diederich said.

City planner Vivian Likes invites residents with questions to contact her office at City Hall once the plans are released.

Previously, the Council adopted a resolution for a financial plan and administrative and policy direction for the annexation. The plan includes cost estimates for planned services, both capital and non-capital services, to be provided to the territory, methods for financing the planned services, and the organization and expansion of the services.

The Council approved an amendment on annexation at first reading at its meeting on 18 June and plans to hold a second reading and vote on the adoption of the regulation at its meeting on 6 August.