Months after federal authorities launched investigations into two high-profile scandals involving Indianapolis police, some are growing restless after receiving no word of an outcome.
The Department of Justice has provided no feedback regarding investigations into the May 2010 arrest ofBrandon Johnson, a biracial 15-year-old who claimed he was beaten by police, or the handling of the investigation into Officer David Bisard, who police said was drunk and on duty in August 2010 when he struck a group of motorcyclists, killing one.
In both cases, black clergy members and various community groups asked for an impartial investigation by federal authorities.
“We were expecting to hear something by now. We were expecting to hear something a couple of months ago,” said the Rev. Charles Harrison, president of the faith-based Ten Point Coalition. “I think for people in the community, that might be more of a troubling sign than a good sign.”
For the Fraternal Order of Police union, no news is good news from federal authorities,6News’ Jack Rinehart reported.
“If they’re not coordinating an active investigation, conducting interviews, then there probably wasn’t anything there,” said President Sgt. William Owensby. “We never thought there was anything there to begin with.”
A representative for Deputy Public Safety Director Caroln Requiz-Smith released a statement Wednesday saying, “The director has not heard any updates or received any feedback from the Department of Justice involving Officer David Bisard or the case involving Brandon Johnson. The director will not comment further.”
Harrison said his community won’t accept silence for an answer on such an important issue.
“If the Justice Department comes back in the Brandon Johnson case that none of the officers did anything wrong, then the community is just not going to accept that,” he said. “They’re just not.”
Indianapolis Police Chief Paul Ciesielski recommended an officer involved in Johnson’s case be terminated for his conduct, but members of the Indianapolis Police Civilian Merit Board ordered him to be reinstated to the force.
Bisard faces seven felony counts in connection with the Aug. 6 crash that killed Eric Wells and injured Mary Mills and Kurt Weekly, including alcohol-related charges that were refiled earlier this year.
Source: WRTV 6 News
