Police Merit Commission now established, to meet monthly at City Hall

The Police Merit Commission is now established in Shelbyville.

The five-member commission met for the first time Wednesday afternoon at City Hall to get organized. The commission will meet again on July 24 at 3 p.m. to get rules established for conducting business with the police department.

Also on the agenda Wednesday at its first meeting was accepting jurisdiction of a police review hearing from the Shelbyville Board of Public Works and Safety, now set for Aug. 6 at 8:30 a.m.

Former mayoral candidate Brad Ridgeway (photo, far left), who owns and operates Nuesound Hearing Care in Shelbyville, was elected commission president.

Bill Kent (photo, far right), a longtime executive with PK USA, was elected vice-president.

Denny Ramsey (photo, third from left), former Shelbyville Middle School principal, was elected secretary.

Also serving on the commission are former Shelbyville mayor and police chief Bob Williams (photo, second from right) and Mark Mason (photo, second from left), who is retired from the Indiana State Police and now works for the Indiana Gaming Commission.

Shelbyville mayor Scott Furgeson asked local attorney Warren Good (photo, fourth from left) to assist with the commission getting organized and with the upcoming review hearing. He also was present Wednesday at City Hall along with Shelbyville Police Chief Bill Dwenger (photo, seated in front of commission members).

The commission will operate off a $10,000 budget with $6,000 going toward salaries. Each commission member will be paid $1,200 annually or $100 per month per meeting.

After discussion, the commission agreed to formally meet on the first Tuesday of each month at City Hall at 5 p.m. That schedule will start in September with the disciplinary hearing already scheduled for August.

Shelbyville detective Kyra Peoples has had her rank lowered to police officer and is currently on paid administrative leave. She has opted to appeal the decision and will have a hearing on Aug. 6 to determine her status with the police department.

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