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
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Attest:
David O. Keyser, perk
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