The Winamac Police Department has a new officer. James Handy was officially hired by the town council Monday, at the recommendation of Police Chief Tyler Campbell.
Handy told council members he’s from the Rochester area. While he doesn’t have any law enforcement experience, he said he’s worked in emergency medical services since graduating from high school, which Campbell says will be a good asset. “Those of us that have our EMR and EMT levels think that it has been an absolute blessing to have to our citizens,” Campbell told council members.
Handy now begins his initial training before going to the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy next spring.
Council members also passed a series of measures to officially transition Winamac’s police force from a town marshal’s office to a police department. That, in turn, qualifies officers for the 1977 Retirement Fund, which lets them retire earlier and get more money.
While Campbell initially thought the switch would cost the town another $20,000 a year, he said it actually ended up being about the same. “The town won’t be paying into those officers’ Social Security accounts,” Campbell explained. “They get the state-sponsored retirement in lieu of the Social Security, so it’s the same amount of money, essentially, within 0.1 or 0.2 percent. The town’s just putting it in a different area.”
The town council members will serve as the metropolitan board of police commissioners. The council president, clerk-treasurer, and police chief will serve as the pension board. The transition will also result in new job titles for police officers.
The change will officially be complete January 1.
