The IMPD Professional Standards unit has completed its investigation of the incident involving Deputy Chief William Benjamin and Indiana State Trooper Wayne Billings," said a statement issued about 2:30 p.m. by Sgt. Linda Jackson, an IMPD spokeswoman.Billings served a two day suspension from his job recently after a state police inquiry determined he had acted inproperly in the confrontation with Benjamin concerning his personal relationship with a woman.
"The investigation concluded that Deputy Chief Benjamin and Major Christopher Boomershine were exonerated from any wrongdoing in this matter," the IMPD statement said. "Chief of Police Paul Ciesielski has approved the Professional Standards findings and the case is considered closed."
Friday, December 03, 2010
Chief Belatedly Clears IMPD Brass In Scuffle With State Trooper
It took prodding from the FOP's leadership before either Public Safety Director Frank Straub or IMPD Chief would clear Deputy Chief William Benjamin and Maj. Chris Boomershine in a scuffle that ensued with an Indiana State Trooper, Wayne Bilings, after he marched into Benjamin's office in plain clothes while armed and began accusing him of meddling into his relationship with another woman. "After the head of the Indianapolis public safety officers union called on Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to publicly clear the name of two high-ranking cops who were under investigation, IMPD issued a statement today to exonerate them from any wrongdoing," reports the Star's John Tuohy. A spokeswoman for IMPD released this statement today:
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9 comments:
Check the archives for altercations involving IPD and ISP. Before IPD got their drive home cars back in the '90s, ISP troopers would try to stop them driving their POVs wrecklessly and at high rates of speed. The IPD officers would radio in and have their dispatch call ISP and wave the troopers off. At least once it resulted in a physical fight between a trooper and an off-duty IPD officer. There is no love lost between these departments.
Gary:
The GeStraubo does not clear people....
Comrade Straub has the police chief do that menial task.
Comrade Straub: We want to know about your Secret Police! Tell us what is their assignment? What authority under Indiana Law do you have to appoint a Secret Police?
TwoDome: I checked and discovered you are lying!
Why do you lie? What motivation do you have? Are you an employee of Frank Straub's Public Relations Team?
If so, we know that TwoDome tries to portray things that don't exist to bolster the resume of a New York Liberal Fool!
Indy4U2C, I try to stay away from as hom attacks but since you called me a liar you deserve what you get. I found this story along with about 4 other updates, and a follow up about a year later when the trooper was bitten by an IPD canine in less than 10 minutes. You are a complete and total moron. You can continue to try to defend a corrupt and criminal organization but the truth will always find you out.
Article from Indianapolis Star:
R. JOSEPH GELARDEN
Feb 28, 1996
Three Indianapolis police officers will be suspended without
pay as a result of a squabble with the Indiana State Police that
has been dubbed "the battle of the badge."
On Tuesday, Chief Donald Christ of the Indianapolis Police
Department suspended Patrolman James R. Lopossa, 48, for 10 days
for driving his marked police car more than 100 mph on I-70 and not
stopping for nearly 15 miles after Trooper David Cox turned on his
emergency lights and siren.
The suspension, to begin Friday, will cost Lopossa about $1,500
in wages, Christ said. That amount is more than a motorist could
expect to be fined in court for similar offenses.
The trooper has asked Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman to
file criminal charges against Lopossa. Newman is expected to
announce his decision this week.
"He (Lopossa) realizes he made a mistake. I talked to him, and
he would do anything to have it to do over. He is very
embarrassed," Christ said.
Lopossa also was ordered to attend a driver's training course
to ensure his understanding of emergency vehicle operation policies
and applicable law.
IPD Lt. Michael Bosley, president of Fraternal Order of Police
Lodge 86, said Christ "came down hard" on Lopossa.
"While we disagreed with him, we understand that he had to set
an example," Bosley said.
The incident occurred Jan. 28. Lopossa was driving his police
car from his home near Monrovia.
West of Plainfield, Cox saw him traveling 103 mph to 110 mph.
Cox flashed his emergency lights, but Lopossa disregarded them
until stopping on the McCarty Street exit south of Downtown.
Lopossa got out of his car.
At that point, the officers' accounts differ.
Cox said Lopossa shoved him.
Lopossa said the trooper panicked and overreacted.
Lopossa scuffled with Cox and two civilians who stopped to help
the trooper. The trooper handcuffed Lopossa.
When Indianapolis police arrived in response to Cox's call for
help, they removed the handcuffs.
That was wrong, Christ said.
Patrolman Frank A. Wefler, 50, was suspended for two days for
interfering with the trooper's investigation by removing the
handcuffs.
"I believe the only person who should remove handcuffs is the
person who puts them on," Christ said.
Patrolman Michael J. Fay, 42, was suspended one day for
interfering with Cox's investigation by "disagreeing" with his
actions.
Christ said Lopossa and Cox don't agree on what happened after
the stop but do agree that the city policeman should not have been
driving more than 100 mph.
The chief said Lopossa claimed he was afraid of being late for
a training session with his police dog.
TwoDomeTown is NOT lying about BAD relations between IPD & ISP in the past.
The last few years, however, they have played very well together.
The latest incident with the trooper and deputy chief is something completely different, possibly a set-up of the deputy chief, since a tape recorder was involved, and a bug had been "discovered" in his office.
TwoDome: Your story has nothing to do with your original lie. You merely found something similar. I note the story you quote has nothing to do with your lie "ISP troopers would try to stop them driving their POVs wrecklessly and at high rates of speed. The IPD officers would radio in and have their dispatch call ISP and wave the troopers off". No fight with any off-duty officer took place.
As for love lost, I've seen them working together on major incidents in harmony frequently.
I think TwoDome is painting a picture that never existed, trying to make the single incident he found somehow fit some other bigger matter.
TwoDome: We can all go back in history and find news reports...but only you take a SINGLE incident, change the facts of it, and try to use propaganda techniques to have others believe that single incident is something it was not.
This sounds like Straubs Public Relations staff at work.
-Pitiful!
Hey TwoDome, I read your post and the story. The story is substantially different than your first allegation.
I think the bigger issue is you trying to make an isolated 14 year old incident out as if it were a systemic ongoing problem...and that, TwoDome is not only wrong, but also constitutes propaganda.
You guys keep proving my case every time you write a comment.
TwoDomeTown... I have read your statement/report and I think it's very sad that you would even post this!! You were NOT there, you do not know what really happen. Cox may have been out of hand and officer Wefler may have thought the same. I do agree that Lopossa should have not been speeding and for this punished. You say it's a cover up and I look at it as an officer (Wefler) doing the right thing. I can say with 100% that officer Wefler is a respected & caring man. He only does what he feels is right and sometimes doing the right thing can look wrong to other people. So before you judge someone by what you read maybe you should take a second look and read between the lines.
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