Officer Randy is
retiring.
So Chesterton
Police Chief Dave Cincoski announced at Thursday’s meeting of the Police
Commission.
After nearly 22
years of service and dedication to the CPD, the community, and Chesterton
Middle School, Sgt. Randy Komisarcik, the long-time school resource officer
at Chesterton Middle School, will retire from the department effective Jan.
30.
The CPD is
currently accepting applications for the position of patrol officer,
Cincoski noted, and will do so through Dec. 20. Cincoski is hopeful of
obtaining a short list of candidates for the commission to interview by
March. In the meantime, Cincoski is asking for letters of interest from
current officers wishing to succeed Komisarcik as SRO at CMS.
Re: Traffic Study
In other business,
Member Tim Scheerer returned to an item from November’s meeting, when a
resident of Quail Court asked the commission to consider lowering the speed
limit on Sand Creek Drive North from 30 miles per hour to 20 mph. Cincoski
said at the time that a traffic study would have to be performed first, but
that it will have to wait until after the winter and then the scheduled
re-paving of the roadway.
On Thursday,
Scheerer asked Cincoski two questions: whether the CPD could increase
enforcement patrols on Sand Creek Drive North? and whether the department
could station a speed radar sign on the roadway.
Cincoski said that
patrols have already been stepped up; but that he wants to wait for a period
of definitively dry weather before posting the radar sign on Sand Creek
Drive North, as motorists have a habit of sliding into the radar signs in
snowy, icy conditions. “When there’s a break in the weather, we can get that
out.”
Donation from
Highwood
Memorial Foundation
In other business,
Cincoski told the commission that, on Dec. 2, he gratefully accepted a $500
donation to the CPD Gift Fund from the Warren “Skip” Highwood Memorial
Foundation.
“A public thank you
to them and on behalf of the commission a thank-you card was sent.”
Firehouse 13
Historical Museum, operated by the Memorial Foundation, is currently
exhibiting the late Highwood’s extensive collection of fire antiques and
memorabilia, including hundreds of village firehouses, Santas, nutcrackers,
and firefighter-themed ornaments.
Firehouse 13 is
open to the public--free of charge--from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and
Sunday, Dec. 14-15; Wednesday, Dec. 18; and Saturday, Dec. 21. The museum is
also a Toys for Tots drop location.
Firehouse 13 is
located at 937N 350E in Jackson Township. Call (219) 926-1481.
Off Probation
At Cincoski’s
recommendation, members voted unanimously to make Det. Nick Brown’s
promotion to corporal permanent, after a successful six-month probationary
period.
“Cpl. Brown has
served a satisfactory probationary period with absolutely no issues,”
Cincoski said. “His work has always been good in the Detective Bureau and he
will make a good addition to the supervisory structure.”
Christmas Eve
Jingle Bell Run
Members also
approved a parade permit for the annual Christmas Eve Jingle Bell Run, at 8
a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24.
The run will start
on Broadway in the Downtown, on a course which runs east as far as South
15th Street and then returns to Second Street.
Farewell
Outgoing Town
Council Member and CPD liaison Emerson DeLaney, R-5th, took a moment on
Thursday to say farewell to the commission. “This will be my last meeting,”
he said. “It’s been a pleasure and an honor.”
Member Pete Duda,
for his own part, expressed his gratitude to DeLaney. “Thank you for your
service and dedication.”
Scheerer also bid
farewell to his colleagues and Cincoski. “This will also be my last
meeting,” he said. “It’s been good working with you and thank you.”
With Gratitude
Duda read into the
record a note of gratitude from Mary--no last name--addressed to the
officers of the CPD: “This is a note to thank you. Thank you for risking
your life every day for complete strangers. Thank you for working days,
nights, weekends, holidays, birthdays, and countless other special occasions
to keep us safe. Thank you for continuing to do the job you were sworn to do
despite all that is happening around you. You are strong. You are brave. You
are heroes. You will always have my deepest appreciation, respect, and
support.”
November in Review
In November the CPD
responded to 616 calls (678 in October), filed 75 cases (65), issued 31
citations and 93 warnings (41 and 71), and investigated 41 accidents with 12
injuries (38 accidents with six injuries).
Calls for service
in November included 84 suspicious vehicles or persons (73 in October), 16
thefts (14), 38 alarms (40), six incidents of vandalism (seven), four animal
complaints (five), 171 traffic stops (170), 11 well-being checks (17), two
missing persons (one), two reports of battery (three), one burglary (zero),
28 disturbances (31), and two reports of fraud (three).