Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department Looking to Charge Fee for Body Camera Footage

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department may soon start charging for the release of body camera footage. Sheriff Jeff Richwine brought the idea to the county council earlier this month. “You know, we’ve got the new body cameras going and now, we’ve got our first requests for video, and I think we’re allowed, by law, to charge a fee for those videos,” Richwine said. “And I didn’t know if that was set or if the council sets that fee. I’m sure I just can’t say, as the sheriff, I want to charge $100.”

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Warming Center Plans in Place in Pulaski County, Town of Culver

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

Residents of Pulaski County and the Town of Culver who may find themselves without heat may take advantage of area warming centers. In Pulaski County, the Emergency Management Agency office at 108 North Franklin in Winamac and the Francesville Fire Station are set to be used as warming centers if needed, according to EMA Director Sheri Gaillard. Pulaski County residents who need to use a warming center are asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at 574-946-6655.

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Pulaski County Officials Working on Body Camera Policy, As Requests Come in for Footage

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

Work continues on a body camera policy for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Jeff Richwine told the county commissioners last week that he’s begun getting requests for body camera footage, but there are laws that limit what the department may release. “It’s a kind of a nightmare,” he said. “We’re working on getting the software that we can redact all the stuff. [County Attorney] Kevin [Tankersley] read the law, I read the law, and you’re head still kind of spins.”

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Pulaski County Council Gets Update on Sheriff’s Department Contracts

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is looking to finalize a couple of contracts. An agreement with Motorola for new body cameras, portable radios, and other equipment was approved by the county commissioners earlier this month. Auditor Laura Wheeler told the county council last week that she needs to know where exactly the money is coming from, before the paperwork may be finalized.

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Pulaski Council to Consider Wage and Salary Revisions, Budget Transfers, Additional Appropriations

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

A shortfall in the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department’s overtime budget has the sheriff asking to move some money around. Sheriff Jeff Richwine told the county commissioners last week that he plans to transfer a total of $17,600 into his overtime budget. “Some of this is due to people not getting moved in the matrix in time, so we have to go back and do back pay, so that’s some of it,” he explained. “Some of it’s overtime.” Richwine said that money will come out of the Dispatch Salary, Equipment Repair, and Part-Time Cooks line items.

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Restroom Vandalism Draws Concerns from Winamac Park Board Member

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

A Winamac Park Board member is voicing his frustration after someone apparently vandalized the new restrooms along the Winamac Parkway. “I went in there a few weeks ago to look and there was trash everywhere in there, and people went to the bathroom and plugged it up,” Chris Schramm told the rest of the park board last week. “I assume kids are doing that. I mean, it looked terrible.”

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Proposed Changes to Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputies’ Retirement Plan Presented to County Council

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

The Pulaski County Council got a closer look earlier this month at proposed changes to the sheriff’s deputies’ retirement plan. Actuary Stan Brown with OneAmerica explained that the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is one of about a dozen in the state that still use a 20-year maximum service plan. “So what that means is only 20 years count for any deputy’s benefit,” he explained. “If you have someone work beyond 20 years, those years don’t count in determining the monthly retirement benefit.”

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Pulaski County Council, Commissioners Approve Vehicle Purchase for Prosecutor’s Office

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

The Pulaski County Prosecutor’s Office is getting a new investigator vehicle. Prosecutor Dan Murphy plans to get a 2019 Dodge Charger from Braun. “We’ll have about a $12,000 discount buying it through that program that the State Police use for vehicles,” Murphy told the county council Monday. Once the discount, trade-in, and the addition of a police package are taken into account, the final cost is around $26,400.

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Pulaski County Council Approves Budget Transfers for Sheriff’s Department Overtime

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

Making up shortfalls in the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department’s overtime budget was the goal of a couple budget transfers approved by the county council Monday.

More than $18,000 was moved from various line items, at the request of Sheriff Jeff Richwine. “These are all to cover overtime. Well, the part-time clerical’s not, but the other is overtime for deputies,” he explained. “And then one’s overtime for dispatchers.”

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