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HomeMy Public PortalAbout01-05-1959 - Special Meeting , 6 OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY, RICHMOND, INDIANA, MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1959 SPECIAL MEETING City Attorney Cecere moved that City ontroller.Wilson be nominated for President of the Board of Public Works & Safety for the year 1959. Seconded by City Engin- eer Deuker. City Attorney Cecere moved the nominations be closed. Seconded by City Engineer Deuker. City Controller Wilson elected President of the Board of Public Works & Safety for 1959. Mayor Cutter announced be was appointing David 0. Keyser Clerk of the Board of Public Works & Safety for 1959. The Presiding Officer announced this meeting had been called for the purpose of receiving charges preferred by the Chief of the Richmond Police Department against Officer Jesse Fredrick Blankenship, 413 North 18th Street, Richmond, . Indiana, to-wit: 1. Disobedience of orders 2. Conduct injurious to the public peace and welfare 3. Conduct unbecoming an officer The Chief of Police submitted to the Board the following letter, which was read aloud to the members of the Board by the Board President, William Wilson, to-wit: Jesse Fredrick Blankenship 413 North 18th Street Richmond, Indiana Dear Sir: Please be advised that on Monday, January 5, 1959, you were charged before this Board with the following: 1. Disobedience of orders 2. Conduct injurious to the public peace and welfare 3. Conduct unbecoming an officer Enclosed please find a copy of the charges, and the explanations thereof, the same having been filed with this Board, and incorporated into the minutes of said Board and made a part of the record of said Board. Please be further advised that the minutes of the Board, which include said charges and the original of the enclosed letter, are filed at the Office of the City Clerk. Please be further advised that pursuant to statute, Burn's Indiana Statutes, Annotated, Sec. 48-6105, notice is hereby given that the Board of Public 'works & Safety of the City of Richmond, Indiana, will conduct a hearing on the above charges on Monday, January 12, 1959, at ten o'clock, a.m. , at City Hall, Richmond, Indiana. Your appearance is requested. Very truly yours, BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY Is] William E. Wilson William E. Wilson, President Attest: /s/ Dave Keyser Lave Keyser, Secretary City Attorney Cecere moved that the letter filed by the Chief of Police be made a part of the minutes of the meeting. Seconded by City Controller Wilson. After much discussion, City Attorney Cecere moved and City Controller Wilson seconded, that, pursuant to statute, `Ifficer Blankenship be served with a written notice notifying him that the Board of Public Works & Safety will conduct a hear- ing on the charges preferred, on Monday, January 12, 1959, at 10:00 AM,. in City Hall in Richmond, Indiana, and further, that a copy of the written notice sent to Officer Blankenship be incorporated herein and made a part of the minutes of this Board, and said notice shall read as follows: 67 January 3, 1959 Board of Public Works & Safety Richmond, Indiana Attention: Mr. William E. Wilson, President Subject: Jesse Fredrick Blankenship Gentlemen: Pursuant to Statute, I hereby formally wish to prefer charges against Officer Jesse Fredrick Blankenship for the following causes: 1. Disobedience of orders 2. Conduct injurious to the public peace and welfare 3. Conduct unbecoming an Officer With regard to the Charge of "Disobedience of orders", the subject officer was, on the first day of January, 1959, at about 1:30 a.m. , found to be intoxicated when armed, was found using coarse, profane and insolent language to a superior officer, the other members of the Police Department and to other citizens of the community, was insubordinate and disrespectful toward a superior officer (reference is made to.page 9 and 10 of the rules and regulations for the government of the Police Department of the City of Richmond, Indiana). With regard to "conduct injurious to public peace and welfare", this officer, on January 1, 1959 at about 1:30 a.m. , was engaged in a family fight at his residence at 413 North 18th Street, Richmond, Indiana. Pursuant to calls received at Police Headquarters, Officers Hollopeter and Hart were dispatched to the scene and when they arrived they found that the subject officer had forced his wife and daughter from their home, had armed himself with two loaded • revolvers, had refused to talk to the officers or to permit them to enter into his home; that thereafter the subject officer threatened to shoot and kill said officers if they did not leave his premises, and subject officer, in a loud and boisterous voice, called the officers who had responded to the call vile names; that thereafter the said subject officer admitted Sgt. Carl Berner of the Richmond Police Department into his home. Sgt. Carl Berner found the subject officer to be intoxicated and armed with two loaded revolvers. Sgt. Berner was able to take one of the revolvers from the subject officer, but when he endeavor- ed to take the second revolver, the subject officer fought with Sgt. Berner and pointed his revolver at Sgt. Berner and threatened to shoot hiin. The subject officer on said date was placed under arrest for disorderly conduct. With regard to the charge of "conduct unbecoming an officer", the subject officer was involved in;a family fight on `lulu 18, 1958. On said July 18, 1958 at 2:10 a.m. , the officers on duty at Police Headquarters received a call with regard to a family fight on North 18th Street, Richmond, Indiana. The informant met the police officers at North 18th and "E" Streets, Richmond, Indiana and indicated to them the house wherein the fight was taking place. The home indicated was the residence of the subject officer. When the officers on duty gained admittance to the house, they found the subject officer in a drunken condition, the house was torn up and blood was splattered over everything; Mrs. Blankenship, wife of the subject officer, had been beaten brutally and two of her teeth were lying on the floor. Mrs. Blankenship indicated at the time that the subject officer had acted in the same manner many times before and that very often had chased Mrs. Blankenship and the children from the house at revolver point. In further regard to the charge of "conduct unbecoming an officer", the subject officer, on January 1, 1959 at approximately 1:30 a.m. , was found to be intoxicated when armed, was found using coarse, profane and insolent lang- uage to a superior officer and to other members of the Department, threatened to kill fellow police officers, including a superior officer; that subject officer on said date was placed under arrest by members of the Richmond Police Depart- ment for disorderly conduct. It is recommended by the undersigned that disciplinary action be taken by the Board of Public Works and Safety pursuant to Statute. 's4 Dan A. Mitrione Dan A. Mitrione, Chief of Police There being no further business, on motion duly made, seconded and carried, the meeting adjourned. //, ID/ : 1 Wm(E: tlilson, resident • Attest: David O. Keyser, perk • •