Town council, police battle over cars

CLOVERDALE -- For several months, several Cloverdale Town Council members had expressed concern regarding a take-home vehicle policy.

In 1997, the council established a resolution disallowing town employees to take home town owned vehicles.

However, following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, a new resolution was established, overriding the original resolution to allow members of the Cloverdale Police Dept. to take their vehicles home. The new resolution was established in December 2001.

At Tuesday's meeting, council President Don Sublett stated he wanted the vehicles parked following work hours, citing the 1997 resolution.

However, the updated policy stated the chief of police had the authority to override the original resolution.

CPD Chief Charlie Hallam told the BannerGraphic Wednesday that following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the policy was changed for the police department. He also told the board Tuesday evening that the policy had been changed for the police department to compete with other agencies and to better response time.

Several board members, however, expressed concern that two CPD officers lived outside of Putnam County.

However, Hallam said one of the officers, who lives in Hendricks County, has recently started using some of his own money to fill up the vehicle with gasoline. Hallam said that officer chose to do that on his own.

Hallam was one of the other officers that lives outside of Putnam County.

In addition, council Vice President Dennis Padgett said he was concerned regarding CPD Assistant Chief Tim Walker using his vehicle to drive to Fillmore, where he also works in law enforcement, following his shift at Cloverdale.

"You don't see a problem with Mr. Walker driving up to Fillmore for another job," Padgett asked Hallam.

"No, I don't," Hallam responded, saying that Walker drives his CPD vehicle to Fillmore but then parks it and uses a Fillmore vehicle for patrolling.

Board member John Davis expressed concern regarding the issue, saying he didn't understand why it was a predicament.

"Where's the problem," Davis said. "Why do you keep bringing it up?"

Following the discussion, Sublett said he had "learned a lot" from Hallam. No action was taken by the board regarding the issue.

Meanwhile, Hallam updated the council on marking the new vehicles the agency recently purchased.

In March, Hallam had informed the board he had met with TKO Graphics, Plainfield, saying he was told the vehicles could be marked by the company at an estimated cost of $400 each.

However, board members told Hallam they had been in contact with Cyclone Custom Graphics, Fillmore, to estimate prices for marking vehicles.

Hallam asked if he could approach Cyclone Custom Graphics with designs for the vehicles, which they agreed.

He also asked if he could seek donations for the marking of the vehicles, to which the board said that was fine.

At the March meeting, the board voted 3-2 in favor of having Cyclone Custom Graphics marking the vehicles at a price of $150 each.

On Tuesday, Hallam told the board he had been in contact with representatives at Cyclone Custom Graphics. He said the department was working with the company on a design and was told by the company it would have a design as soon as possible.

Hallam told the BannerGraphic that a "couple" of designs had been looked at and he expected to have the situation finalized by next month's meeting.

In other news, the board learned that Kent Goldman, Vice President of Andy Mohr, Plainfield, bid on three older police vehicles.

Hallam told the BannerGraphic the three vehicles in question were two 2000 vehicles and one 2003 vehicle.