Teachman - Buttigieg another Mess Brewing

[Happy Mom]

South Bend officer who Teachman is accused of not backing up speaks out

By: Barbara Harrington - Email
Updated: Mon 11:55 PM, Oct 14, 2013



After months of silence, the South Bend police officer Chief Ron Teachman was accused of not backing up, spoke out Monday night.

Lieutenant David Newton was with Teachman in April at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center when a fight broke out.

Newton says when he was alerted to the situation, Teachman had just left for the bathroom. So, Newton went outside to check it out himself.

"I was told there was a fight outside in the parking lot and that people were going to their cars to get guns," Newton said. "When I went outside, there were approximately 50 people in the parking lot engaged in a fight. And, I didn't know if they had weapons or not."

Newton says he ran to his car and requested other officers respond to the scene. But, he got no response because they were all dispatched to other calls.

So, he says he positioned himself between the large fight and the children who were playing nearby. He estimates the brawl lasted about five minutes -- during which he never saw Teachman.

"I did not know what was going on except for what was in front of me," Newton said. "I didn't see him until it was all over. Until the director of the center came outside to check on me to make sure I was still alive."

Newton says Teachman said nothing to him after the fight.

Now, he's asking the council to use their subpoena powers to obtain a copy of the Indiana State Police report about the incident.

ISP turned the report over to Mayor Pete Buttigieg last month, who decided no discipline was necessary.

That decision is one the former president of the Board of Public Safety disagreed with, so he stepped down hours later.

"I also believe nothing would be done to correct this possible neglect because of political embarrassment," Newton told the council Monday.

He said he would have spoken out sooner, but feared retaliation from leaders in the South Bend Police Department. Newton says he will likely be reprimanded after speaking out in front of the council.

Council President Derek Dieter says they're talking to their attorney about how to proceed. He says they could take action as early as next week.

"We do have subpoena powers, we're going to look at that," Dieter said. "I think that's probably what will happen."

Buttigieg has said repeatedly he won't release the ISP report because it's a personnel issue. He also says the situation has been overblown.
http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/Sout ... 62121.html

[Eagle Driver]

This whole thing stinks to high heaven ! Let me wrap my head around this ! The Lieutenant was ON DUTY and had to go to his car to call for help ! What happened, did the city run out of money for portable radios ? Last I knew, they carried radios with them.

Ok, let's take the next step. Let's say there was a fight . Maybe! 50 people and they might have guns ! AND THERE WASN'T 1 CAR AVAILABLE IN THE CITY TO BACK HIM UP ? I'm sorry, but I'm calling BS on that ! I happen to be very familiar with a 10 code used by SBPD it's 10-78 ! That is short for OH MY GOD ! SEND EVERYONE !!!! they get help from ISP, St Joe Co, Roseland, Mishawaka, the Airport, City Park Police, All the small outside agencies go !

So I have to ask, was there really a fight ?

Did he really need help, and did he call for help ?

Is this just one more ploy by someone high up in the South Bend Government to stir crap ?

I think I have all my answers

[dunk50]

Eagle, some of your questions are easy enough to answer. Start with the tapes in dispatch. There were either cars available or not and backup was requested or not. And yes, where was his portable! As for the code 10-78, NO WAY HE CALLED 10-78. Had that happened he would have had more cars than he knew what to do with. It all likelihood he asked radio for any free cars in the area. It is possible none were free at the time doing all the Public Relations BS. Way to many sworn officers in PR and NON ESSENTIAL jobs inside the building at 701.

[Bingo]

10-04, Dunk50

[bubblyone]

I am really confused!! I remember seeing "someone" on TV several weeks ago (who was it?) that said the whole thing lasted 90 seconds or something like that. How long did it last? Next, were they on duty or not?

[Gamblinbug]

If nothing happened and this was no big deal, then why did Lt Ross go there and try to intimidate workers, or so it was said? Also why the day after Lt Ross paid the MLKC a visit 2 more SBPD officers visited the center and toyed with the camera system for a period of time? None of it makes any sense if it was no big deal. Also why would Pat Cattrell step down from the safety board hours after Pete said nothing was wrong with the ISP report?

[saywatanayo]

First, take a listen to yourself and try to understand just how ridiculous you sound. This latest post of yours only solidifies the conspirator y nature and incredibly biased positions you and CUBG have taken since your inception. What proof can you offer that Lt. Ross (Internal Investigations officer) went to that facility and "intimidated" employees? Who were they? How did he intimidate? Was he simply investigating and asking questions, doing his job? Was that too blown up into something more from the people there. IE: "He came here and asked us all about it!" We felt that was intimidating!" NO! It's called investigating! The atmosphere is already filled with controversy and distrust so that instance could easily be mis characterized. That sir is very offensive to me. It's his job to investigate this even though it's a giant caca sandwich he'd rather avoid. Who were the two cops that came the next day? You say they "toyed" with the camera system. This too is ridiculous and only further exposes your conspiracy attitude albeit unfounded. Methinks Ross, the previous day, learned there was video surveillance of some sort at the facility and ordered evidence technician cops with training in recovering that evidence (All systems are different and somewhat complicated) to check the system, see if any of the cameras were pointed in the area where the "fight" happened and report back to Ross. Your ignorance on how police work is done and what processes are used while investigating is obvious and laughable. Go watch some more stupid cop shows.

I do agree that Cotrell's resignation is indicative that Teachman could have done something more. I too would be interested in what he has to say. However, For months Newton has been telling everyone at the PD that it was no big deal and he had it under control. Where's the radio traffic, Does it exist? Radio didn't hear you??? I would have. Other cars would have not just uniformed cars. They don't tell you everyone is busy. They say "Any units available go! Uniform, DB off duty! Doesn't matter. That's why we have take home cars. Funny how his story all of a sudden becomes much more suspenseful at that podium. What disciplines are coming down on him? And for what? You guys should really look into that! We all go when that call comes in. I never heard it. This was in OUR opinion, another "gotcha" moment for Dieter to jump on. Much like his use of Stilp, he again has used and convinced another brother officer to take up arms in his fight against Boykin's replacement and the man he hopes to succeed on the fourteenth floor. That is the real fight and agenda behind the curtain. WE all know this. And since were on the subject. Hypocrisy is running deep on this one. I remember you and everyone else ranting and raving about Hurley having been fired from Notre Dame when he took over at the PD. He actually wasn't fired but resigned and then settled out of court for big bucks against ND. But Cotrell was fired from ND for all of you keeping score, for conducting an inappropriate domestic violence investigation. Have you looked into that? Of course not.

[Happy Mom]

This was in OUR opinion, another "gotcha" moment for Dieter to jump on. Much like his use of Stilp, he again has used and convinced another brother officer to take up arms in his fight against Boykin's replacement and the man he hopes to succeed on the fourteenth floor. That is the real fight and agenda behind the curtain. WE all know this.

WOW, that is interesting....

[Happy Mom]

Mayor: Politics behind Teachman controversy





South Bend Tribune/JAMES BROSHER

Pete Buttigieg

Posted: Sunday, October 20, 2013 5:59 am

By Erin Blasko South Bend Tribune





by Erin Blasko

SOUTH BEND -- Mayor Pete Buttigieg is refusing to back down in the face of pressure to release a report about Police Chief Ron Teachman's actions during an alleged brawl. And he accuses critics of exploiting the matter for political gain.

"Unfortunately, this is being politicized more than, ordinarily, a management decision would be," the mayor said Friday. "But I hope there would be some regard for our effort to be consistent in the way we treat the employees of the city."

He added, "It would definitely benefit me politically to abandon our privacy protections here ... (but) I think the slippery slope that puts us on would be damaging to the city in the long run."

The mayor's comments came four days after Lt. David Newton, the officer at the center of the controversy, appeared before the Common Council to request help to obtain a copy of the report.

The council, in response, is now considering whether to subpoena for the document.

Council President Derek Dieter says the public has a right to know what's in the report. Refusing to release it, he says, only reinforces the perception that the administration has something to hide.

The mayor, in turn, questions Dieter's motives, accusing the South Bend police officer of using his position as a council member to undermine the chief when the right thing to do would be to step aside to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.

"I know he's been pretty hostile to me politically, and hostile to the chief," the mayor said of Dieter.

Both men are Democrats.

The controversy started in May, when, during a meeting of the Common Council, local activist Greg Brown accused Teachman of not backing up Newton during an alleged brawl at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in April.

Health and Public Safety Committee Chair Karen White forwarded the complaint to the Board of Public Safety, which asked the Indiana State Police to investigate.

Citing that investigation, the mayor -- who alone has the authority to discipline department heads, including the police chief -- determined Teachman did nothing wrong and should not be punished.

Teachman was appointed in January to replace former Chief Darryl Boykins, who was demoted the previous March in the wake of a federal investigation into whether the department violated the federal Wiretap Act.

Though the majority of the board agreed with the mayor's decision, board President Pat Cottrell, a retired South Bend police officer, did not. He said afterward he thinks Teachman should have been fired.

Cottrell subsequently resigned from the board in protest. But he refused to discuss the report, which is considered confidential under state law and according to the board's own bylaws.

That said, Cottrell has since stated he would agree to speak about the report to the council if forced to under oath in response to a subpoena.

"Send me a subpoena," he told WSBT-TV last week. "Common Council, hold a hearing. Put me under oath by subpoena and I'll tell you exactly what I know from what I read."

Buttigieg has described the incident as a "personnel matter," saying, "We don't disclose personnel records as required by (state) law."

"I would not be a good mayor if I abandoned that principal because of public or media pressure," the mayor said.

The Tribune has filed public records requests with the mayor's office and state police. But Luke Britt, the state's public access counselor, said Indiana law does not require the city to release more information unless Teachman was suspended, fired or otherwise disciplined.

"At the heart of this incident is whether our employee met the expectations of his job," Cristal Brisco, corporation counsel for the city, said Friday. "That is, by definition, a personnel matter."

Personal politics

The controversy is the second involving a police chief since the mayor took office in January of last year. And like the decision to demote Boykins, a black officer, it involves elements of race. Teachman is white, Newton is black, and Brown, the man who reported the incident to the council, is black.

Combined, the two incidents threaten to damage the mayor's political reputation among some members of the police department and black community, two important constituencies in the city.

But the mayor suggested some people simply don't like the new police chief.

"I think some people in this community made it clear going in that they were going to be against the new police chief, especially if that chief wasn't local, no matter who he was," the mayor said.

He identified Dieter, D-at large, a corporal with the police department, as one of those people.

"When the most outspoken member of the Common Council on this issue is an employee of the department in question, that raises concerns," the mayor said, adding, "I think there's a risk of the personal politics in the police department spreading into the politics of the community."

He added, "It's become increasingly hard to separate the internal politics of the police department from the politics of the council."

The mayor noted that Dieter ignored protocol when referring the original complaint against Teachman to the Board of Public Safety rather than the mayor's office, which alone has the authority to discipline the chief.

On top of that, what to do with the complaint

wasn't up to Dieter, the mayor said. Rather, it was up to Karen White, the chair of the appropriate council committee, Health and Public Safety.

The mayor also questioned the appropriateness of a city employee threatening to subpoena for information related to an internal, confidential disciplinary matter involving his own boss.

Asked whether there might be a racial component to some of the criticism he and Teachman are facing, the mayor responded unequivocally: "No."

"But I think some people see it as an opportunity to exploit racial tensions in the community for political gain," he said, though he hopes that's not what's happening.

'That's his opinion'

Dieter denies making political hay of the situation.

"Well, that's his (the mayor's) opinion," he said Friday. "He can have that. ... I just want to get the information out to the public. That's why we were elected."

Dieter said White was the one responsible for forwarding the complaint to the public safety board.

"She's the one who originated that out of her committee, to ask the Board of Public Safety to look into it," he said. "Karen wrote the board a letter -- the Board of Public Safety -- that said this (complaint) came in and we're turning it over to you."

Asked about that, White admitted to writing the letter, but only after consulting with Dieter and council Vice President Oliver Davis, her two fellow officers, and council attorney Kathy Cekanski-Farrand.

White said the matter was not discussed in an open meeting of the Health and Public Safety Committee, whose other members include Fred Ferlic, Dave Varner and Tim Scott -- but not Dieter or Davis.

Dieter also dismissed the idea that being a police officer represents a conflict of interest for him, saying, "If the mayor is paranoid about that, then so be it."

As to speculation he may run for mayor in 2015 and what influence that might have on his role as a council member, he said, "I have no idea. All I know is I'm retiring (from the police department) in February and kind of job hunting now. So that's not even on the table at this point."

574-235-6187

EBlasko@SBTinfo.com
http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/po ... 0f31a.html

[Eagle Driver]

I think everyone knows that Dieter is going to make a run for the big chair on the 14th floor as soon as he retires. All I can say is God help us......