Yarnell, Julian appointed as acting police chiefs

MOORESVILLE

The Mooresville Metropolitan Police Commission discussed many changes in the department following the recent retirement of former Mooresville Metropolitan Police Chief Richard Allen.

During Thursday night’s meeting, the commission discussed the need to appoint an acting chief in addition to beginning the process of formally recruiting a new chief.

Commissioner Danny Lundy noted that former chief Allen had retired since the last police commission meeting and recognized his decades of service to the Mooresville Metropolitan Police Department.

“During our commission meeting, I would like to express our gratitude for his many, many years of service and all the things he’s done for this department,” said Lundy. “I think that needs to be said.”

As a result of the retirement, the commission needed to appoint an acting chief. Lundy informed those present that Capt. Brad Yarnell, was currently serving as the acting chief of the Mooresville Metropolitan Police Department but explained that because he was leaving the department in a month, the commission needed to appoint someone to take over as acting chief after Yarnell left. Lundy explained that the acting chief position was a volunteer position, not a promotion, and stated that there was no additional pay for the position.

Yarnell expressed concerns to the commission about appointing a lieutenant to the position, noting that the department was already going to be short six officers on the road by the end of the year and said that the department could be up to nine or 10 officers short, depending on if more left for other law enforcement departments, like Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) or the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office. Yarnell said that taking a lieutenant off the road and putting them into administration would create an issue, as all of the shifts were already short personnel.

Mooresville Police Commissioner Fred Settle said that he understood Yarnell’s concerns but that he had received many calls from officers recommending Lt. Kevin Julian to be acting chief.

“I was blown away with the interview,” said Settle. “Kevin has a lot of great ideas for what he wants to do and how he’s going to be an acting working chief.”

Settle noted that Julian had been with the department for 22 years and said that he believed that Julian would do a great job. Settle made a motion to make Julian the acting chief that died for lack of a second.

Mooresville resident Sondra Cooper asked the commission about the powers and responsibilities of the new chief.

Lundy explained that the acting chief was necessary so that the department had an executive that could make decisions and sign on the dotted line for things but said that that no one person would be able to do it by themselves, emphasizing a need for teamwork.

Cooper also asked if the acting chief could change policies, and Lundy explained that the commission was not willing to make major changes until a new chief was found and hired first. Yarnell noted that due to the salary ordinance, the department might not be able to hire a chief and additional officers.

Lundy said that in “the spirit of teamwork,” he would agree with Settle’s decision to make Julian acting chief, noting that the commission had to do something, especially with Yarnell leaving soon. Lundy made a motion to approve Resolution 2019-1, making Yarnell acting chief, followed by Julian after Yarnell’s departure from the department. The motion passed unanimously.

The commission also discussed the process for hiring a new police chief for the department. Lundy informed those present that the town had recently hired an HR consulting firm — Waggoner Irwin Scheele and Associates — that could handle recruitment for the commission. Lundy explained that the commission would meet with the firm in executive session to let it know what the commission was looking for in candidates. After letting the firm handle the recruitment process, interviews with candidates will be held in executive session with the commission’s final selection being sent to the Mooresville Town Council for final approval.

Lundy made a motion for the commission to request assistance from Waggoner Irwin Scheele and Associates. The motion passed unanimously.

Officer recognitions

The Mooresville Metropolitan Police Commission recognized the service of three officers at Thursday night’s meeting as a part of the Officer Recognition Program for the Mooresville Metropolitan Police Department .

The commission recognized Officer Daniel Enkhorn’s 10 years of service, Officer Matthew McDaniel’s 11 years of service and Julian’s 22 years of service. Each officer was present with a certificate noting their service.

Department updates

The commission heard department updates from Yarnell, who informed them that the department is still in the process of cleaning out the old station, but said the move went well. He noted that there were some computer issues that had yet to be resolved.

“We’re getting there,” said Yarnell. “It’s operational, and we’re working.”

Yarnell also provided updates on the hiring process for a new officer. He informed them that the hiring process had been effectively put on hold with the chief’s retirement. He explained that there was an applicant with police academy experience, but reiterated that the other applications had effectively been put on hold due to all the department had going on, moving into a new building amidst the chief’s retirement.

“If we could finish him, we could possibly move him into one position that we currently have open,” said Yarnell.

SOP updates

Records Clerk for the Mooresville Police Department Amanda Carnell informed the commission that there were issues with the department’s Silver Alert “standard operating procedure” (SOP) due to changes made in January.

As a result, and to minimize the number of SOP changes in the future, Carnell presented updated SOPs that split the Silver, Amber and Blue alerts into different SOPs — SOP 10-01 for Silver Alerts, SOP 10-02 for Amber Alerts, SOP 10-03 for Blue Alerts, with SOP 10-04 staying the same for the Indiana Clearinghouse for Missing Childrens and Adults.

Lundy made a motion to accept the SOP changes that passed unanimously.

In other business

Settle made a motion to approve the minutes from the previous meeting that passed unanimously.

The next meeting of the Mooresville Police Commission at 6 p.m. on Sept. 19 at the Mooresville Police Station, 445 S. Indiana St.

~ By Anthony Woodside | Reporter | Published August 17, 2019 in The Mooresville Times