Comments on Advance Indiana™: Haslar Promotion At IMPD Draws Criticism

The point I was trying to make, in accord with thi...

2010-08-27T15:44:31.102-05:00

The point I was trying to make, in accord with this report about a white officer who killed a Black unarmed suspect being awarded a medal of valar was that that had occured before (thanks for reminding all that the victim's first name was Edmund, and yes, that was the Wayne Sharp}. During a mayoral debate, candidates Harris and I having called for the then police chief's resignation for agreeing to such a reward.
Goldsmith said that that was what he would do. He did ask me if that would satisfy me, and I told him, yes. Mahern, D. made no response.

Thanks Dazed & MPHill - Yes, Detective Sharp (...

2010-08-27T09:03:34.389-05:00

Thanks Dazed & MPHill - Yes, Detective Sharp (an IPD historian) located the grave of the first black officer killed in the line of duty - this was Officer William Whitfield - shot in June of 1922 and who died in November of 1922 - Whitfield was black, the killer-criminal was white - the Klan controlled Indiana in those days and the murder went un-solved and Whitfield received no honors, no front page coverage, no police funeral and no grave marker - the "Nazi" Sharp organized an effort, raised funds, purchased a grave marker and set up a police funeral in which hundreds participated at Crown Hill Cemetery back in the fall of 1998, thus at last honoring this slain Black policeman 76 years after his murder. Strange behavior indeed for a "Nazi" cop. Sharp took little credit for the deed and gave credit to his fellow officers for contributing funds to the project.

And just for everyone's information every offi...

2010-08-27T08:40:41.309-05:00

And just for everyone's information every officer involved shooting where the suspect dies is presented to a grand jury by the prosecutor. Thus goes above and beyond many jurisdictions across the country.

Dean, that wouldnt be the same Wayne Sharp that he...

2010-08-27T00:45:07.433-05:00

Dean, that wouldnt be the same Wayne Sharp that helped led the push to put a headstone on Officer William Wittfields (first African-American Ofc killed in the line of duty) unmarked grave in Crown Hill?

Despite a civil jury trial leading to one of India...

2010-08-27T00:38:53.465-05:00

Despite a civil jury trial leading to one of Indianapolis's largest awards following a judgment against an officer who fatally shot a burglary suspect, the officer remains on the force. (See Indianapolis chapter for additional details.) Officer Wayne Sharp, who is white, shot and killed Edmund Powell, who was black, in June 1991. Sharp, a veteran officer, claimed the shooting was accidental and that Powell had swung a nail-studded board at him, yet according to at least one witness, Powell was on the ground and had apparently surrendered when he was shot. According to witnesses, Powell allegedly stole something from a department store, and Sharp chased him into an alley with his gun drawn. The Marion County prosecutor brought the case before a grand jury, and it declined to indict Sharp on any criminal charges. Community activists claimed that the shooting was racially motivated; Sharp had killed a black burglary suspect ten years earlier and a grand jury had declined to indict him. At that time, Sharp reportedly was removed from street duty because of his "flirtation" with the National Socialist White People's Party, a neo-Nazi group. Powell's grandmother, Gertrude Jackson, alleging Sharp intentionally shot Powell, filed a civil lawsuit in 1992; the jury found in favor of Jackson and awarded $465,000 to Powell's family. The city had not paid Jackson as of September 1997, and the status of any appeal was unclear. Despite his history, Sharp was still on duty as of mid-1997 and according to the police chief there has received "high accolades and several awards for superior work."

Thanks for straightening that up Dean. The Interne...

2010-08-26T23:09:24.748-05:00

Thanks for straightening that up Dean. The Internet is often like playing telephone as a kid. By the time the message gets to you it has been completely warped.

Advance Indiana – Not found in Google – Detective ...

2010-08-26T19:55:13.758-05:00

Advance Indiana – Not found in Google – Detective Wayne Sharp tracked down and arrested Neo-Nazi Skinhead Trevor Thompson for shooting a young black girl in a drive-by shooting in 2001 and worked with Jewish Prosecutor Scott Newman to file charges. Ultimately Thompson got a 20 year sentence. In 1981, Officer Sharp was found not to be a member of any political group after a FBI investigation. Sharp had attended political meetings as a student, including some radical ones, but never joined or led any organization. It was Edmund Powell who was shot by Sharp, but Sharp was never suspended in connection with that incident or the political accusations that followed. No Chief lost his job over the incident and Sharp did not get a Medal of Valor or any other medal for the shooting incident. Sharp served 36 years on IPD and then retired as an award winning detective.

Scott Haslar...that name does sound famliar and I ...

2010-08-26T18:41:07.513-05:00

Scott Haslar...that name does sound famliar and I don't think because of a case 20 years ago. You sure there isn't something more recent?

Granted, it's been 20 years and evidently he&#...

2010-08-26T18:13:32.667-05:00

Granted, it's been 20 years and evidently he's cleaned up his work ethics, but damn, does some sadistic advisor sit around all day and try to figure out what the worst possible scenario is for every action in all of city government?

Oh, you must be talking about this Officer Sharp: ...

2010-08-26T16:52:28.416-05:00

Oh, you must be talking about this Officer Sharp:

"Officer Wayne Sharp, a member of the Nazi party who had attended Nazi meetings in Illinois and Virginia, and rounded a party cell in his home town, shot and killed a Black shoplifting suspect. In 1981, Sharp had killed a Black burglary suspect and had been briefly suspended. He has been involved in other shooting incidents as well during his 18-year career on the force. It was disclosed that as local leader of the Nazis, he had sent harassing letters to Jewish organizations."

Amazing what you learn by googling.

This reminds me of the awarding of a medal of vala...

2010-08-26T16:32:40.754-05:00

This reminds me of the awarding of a medal of valar to Officer Wayne Sharp for his shooting and killing an unarmed Vernon Powell, accused of shoplifting. When Mayor Steve Goldsmith took office, he immediately kept his campaign promise, and replaced the police chief who gave such reward, and not long after, Vernon's family was paid $500,000 as a settlement for the wrongful shooting.