Police Commission Meeting Minutes 2009

The February 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners of the Town of St. John was held on February 9, 2009 at 7:00 P.M., as advertised, pursuant to law. Commissioner Dodaro called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. and then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken with the following members of the Police Commission being present; namely, William Dodaro, Rose Hejl, Robert Long, and Ronald Vale. Also present was Chief Fred Frego. Councilman Donald Farris and Town Council Liaison Jerri Teibel were not present. No legal representation was present at the meeting.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MONTH’S MINUTES

December 8, 2008 Regular Meeting - Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve the minutes as written from the December 8, 2008 Regular Meeting. With a second by Commissioner Long, the motion carried unanimously (4-0).

ANNUAL TOW MEETING

Representatives from the following tow firms were present at tonight’s Annual Tow Meeting: St. John Auto, Stan’s Towing, Emerald Towing, Kubiak’s Service and Leep’s Highway Garage. There was no representative present from Dave’s Towing. The representatives advised they had no complaints, comments, concerns, or suggestions regarding the present arrangements. Chief Frego advised he had no knowledge of any problems regarding any of the tow firms or the current tow rotation process. Commissioner Dodaro advised the representatives to obtain a copy of the Town Ordinance and regarding Section 3 of said ordinance, Commissioner Dodaro stated the fee assessment for tow services shall be evaluated by the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners on a regular basis. Commissioner Dodaro asked the representatives present to provide Chief Frego, at their convenience, with a listing of their current fee assessment to be reviewed and retained by the Police Commission. Commissioner Dodaro asked Mr. Nick Leep, of Leep’s Highway Garage who was seeking to be added to the tow rotation for the Town of St. John, to stay until the end of the meeting as he and Chief Frego would like to speak with him regarding his request. The Commission thanked the representatives for their attendance and for the fine job they do throughout the year. Upon leaving the meeting, Joe Kubiak, of Kubiak’s Service, requested to be notified should the Commission decide to add additional tow providers to the tow rotation. Commissioner Dodaro stated that all tow providers would be notified of any changes in the event that changes are made.

2OO8 YEAR-END REPORT

Commissioner Vale stated it was a very excellent report. Chief Frego stated it would be even better next year as the Department is constantly fine-tuning its reporting procedures. Commissioner Dodaro stated it was a very nice report.

CORRESPONDENCE / COMMUNICATIONS

There were no items of Correspondence / Communications presented at tonight’s meeting.

POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MONTHLY REPORT

Chief Frego read the monthly report for January 2009. Chief Frego stated that from January 1, 2009 through January 31, 2009, the members of the St. John Police Department logged 18,161 miles and responded to 490 incidents. The investigation of these incidents led to 23 adult arrests with 33 charges being filed, and 0 juvenile arrests with 0 charges being filed. There were 145 traffic citations issued along with 61 written warnings for a total of 206 citations being issued during the month of January 2009 by the officers of the St. John Police Department. Also during the month of January, vehicle thefts totaled $5,500.00, and all other thefts totaled $5,069.00. The total value of recovered property was $5,750.00. Regarding grant activity, the officers of the St. John Police Department, while working the OPO / BCC / OSS / DUI Taskforce Grants, issued 21 traffic citations and 13 written warnings for a total of 34 citations being issued on the grants during the month of January 2009. The investigation of these violations resulted in 4 adult arrests with 4 charges being filed and 0 juvenile arrests with 0 charges being filed on the grants for the month of January 2009.

OLD BUSINESS

There were no items of “Old Business.”

REPORTS

Budget –

There was nothing new to report on the budget.

Physical Plant –

Chief Frego advised there was nothing new to report on the physical plant.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Reserve Officer Applicants –

Chief Frego stated in light of the current budget constraints, he did not feel the Department would be pursuing additional officers for the Reserve Officer Program.

Commissioner Dodaro brought to the Commission’s attention the fact that two (2) St. John police officers have entered into the DROP Program, and they have indicated they may retire at the end of 2010. Chief Frego advised the two (2) officers will have the option of retiring December 31, 2010, but they also have the option not to retire at that time. Commissioner Dodaro stated the Commission will need to consider making some changes in the next couple of years. Some discussion ensued.

NEW BUSINESS

There were no matters of “New Business.”

CHIEF’S COMMENTS

Chief Frego had no comments.

ANY AND ALL

There were no items brought before the Commission at this time.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mr. Nick Leep, of Leep’s Highway Garage, stated Leep’s Highway Garage was interested in becoming a tow provider for the Town of St. John. Commissioner Dodaro stated for the record, he has had a lot of personal experience with Nick Leep and Leep’s Highway Garage, and he has always felt that he was an “up front” and honest kind of guy, and it is nice to have a credible business man in the area that they could count on.

MEETING SCHEDULE

The next Regular Meeting will be on Monday, March 9, 2009. There will be a Work Study Session only if deemed necessary. The Regular Public Meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. Any and all Executive Sessions will be advertised pursuant to law.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Vale made a motion for adjournment. With a second by Commissioner Hejl, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:20 P.M.

Town of St. John, Lake County
Indiana, Board of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners

______________________________
Rose Hejl, Secretary

ATTEST:

________________________________
Joan M. Kolodziej, Recording Secretary

The April 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners of the Town of St. John was held on April 13, 2009 at 7:00 P.M., as advertised, pursuant to law. Commissioner Dodaro called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. and then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken with the following members of the Police Commission being present; namely, William Dodaro, Donald Farris, Rose Hejl, and Ronald Vale. Also present was Chief Fred Frego. Commissioner Robert Long arrived at approximately 7:09 P.M., shortly after the start of the meeting. Town Council Liaison Jerri Teibel was not present. No legal representation was present at the meeting.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MONTH’S MINUTES

February 9, 2009 Regular Meeting - Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve the minutes as written from the February 9, 2009 Regular Meeting. With a second by Commissioner Long, the motion carried unanimously (4-0). There was no meeting held in March 2009 due to a lack of a quorum.

CORRESPONDENCE / COMMUNICATIONS

There were no items of Correspondence / Communications presented at tonight’s meeting.

POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MONTHLY REPORT

Chief Frego read the monthly report for March 2009. Chief Frego stated that from March 1, 2009 through March 31, 2009, the members of the St. John Police Department logged 20,722 miles and responded to 555 incidents. The investigation of these incidents led to 40 adult arrests with 53 charges being filed, and 8 juvenile arrests with 9 charges being filed. There were 323 traffic citations issued along with 152 written warnings for a total of 475 citations being issued during the month of March 2009 by the officers of the St. John Police Department. Also during the month of March, vehicle thefts totaled $0.00, and all other thefts totaled $3,500.00. The total value of recovered property was $0.00. Regarding grant activity, the officers of the St. John Police Department, while working the OPO / BCC / OSS / DUI Taskforce Grants, issued 64 traffic citations and 33 written warnings for a total of 97 citations being issued on the grants during the month of March 2009. The investigation of these violations resulted in 5 adult arrests with 14 charges being filed and 1 juvenile arrest with 1 charge being filed on the grants for the month of March 2009.

Chief Frego commented that a new report has been added to the Chief’s Monthly Report which advises the number of 511 citations issued by officer for the month as well as their year-to-date total, and the number of Infraction Deferral Agreements entered into for the current month as well as the year-to-date total. Chief Frego explained that the Infraction Deferral Program replaced the St. John Driver Education Program, which had been deemed illegal, and this program is much better as there are no personnel involved in it.

OLD BUSINESS

There were no items of “Old Business.”

REPORTS

Budget –

There was nothing new to report on the budget.

Physical Plant –

There was nothing new to report on the physical plant.

HUMAN RESOURCES

In response to his question, Commissioner Farris was advised that the current Final Register of Police Officer Candidates (Eligibility List) will expire on May 29, 2009.

NEW BUSINESS

Revised Job Description – Detective /Captain, Revised G.O. No. 20.01 –

Performance Evaluations, and New Performance Evaluation Forms for Supervisor, Patrol Officer and Dispatcher – Chief Frego advised the only change made in the Job Description – Detective / Captain is that this position is no longer second in command. Commissioner Hejl then made a motion to adopt the revised Job Description – Detective / Captain as presented. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the motion carried unanimously (4-0).

Chief Frego advised that revised General Order No. 20.01 –

Performance Evaluations explains the dynamics of who is going to evaluate who, and the Performance Evaluation Forms are new. Some discussion ensued. Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve and adopt revised General Order No. 20.01 – Performance Evaluations and the three (3) new Performance Evaluation Forms (Supervisor, Patrol Officer and Dispatcher) as presented. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the motion carried unanimously (4-0).

CHIEF’S COMMENTS

Chief Frego advised the Commission the Department has submitted grant paperwork for the Stimulus Grant being offered by President Obama, which provides for the hiring of up to three (3) officers. The Department has put in for two (2) officers. If the grant is awarded, the successful department will receive full pay and benefits for the officers for a period of three (3) years. Chief Frego stated he has spoken with several different individuals who advise small departments, like St. John, will have a difficult time in getting the grant awarded to them as the focus is on high crime areas. It is anticipated that the grant will provide approximately 5000 police officers across the country. Notification of the grant award is expected in May 2009. Some discussion ensued. In response to Commissioner Dodaro’s question, Chief Frego stated he wrote the grant paperwork, along with Corporal James Turturillo.

Chief Frego stated he was advised by Congressman Pete Visclosky’s office that the papers have been signed for the $450,000 that will be coming to the Tri-Town Area (Dyer, Schererville and St. John). Those monies will be divided three (3) ways, and they are to be used towards Communications.

ANY AND ALL

Commissioner Dodaro stated he would like to discuss at the next meeting a timetable as to when the Commission would like to start the testing process to establish a new Eligibility List for Patrol Officer. Commissioner Dodaro stated he would like to have a new list in place by November 2009. Chief Frego stated if St. John is successful in being awarded the grant to hire two (2) new officers in May, the money will be available by July, so they may need to have something in place sooner than November, unless it is decided to do an emergency hire.

Commissioner Long stated he would like to discuss at a later meeting something that the Police Commission could do for the community, possibly after the summer months have passed. Commissioner Long stated he was not sure what could be done, but he would like something in addition to the National Night Out and the Open House, possibly something for people who are in need, or something for elderly people or sick children. Commissioner Long stated he would like it to be something where the Commissioners give their time and something back to the community.

Chief Frego stated the Department will be hosting a second National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4, 2009. Also, in early 2010, the Department hopes to be involved in hosting a Police Academy for citizens. Chief Frego stated there would be a general overview of the law, ride-a-longs for four (4) hours, K-9 demonstrations, discussion of police activity in the community, etc.

PUBLIC COMMENT

There were no individuals present in the audience.

MEETING SCHEDULE

The next Regular Meeting will be on Monday, May 11, 2009. There will be a Work Study Session only if deemed necessary. The Regular Public Meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. Any and all Executive Sessions will be advertised pursuant to law. Chief Frego stated he would advise the Commission if there would be a need for an Executive Session.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Hejl made a motion for adjournment. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:22 P.M.

Town of St. John, Lake County
Indiana, Board of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners

______________________________
Rose Hejl, Secretary

ATTEST:

________________________________
Joan M. Kolodziej, Recording Secretary

The May 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners of the Town of St. John was held on May 11, 2009 at 7:00 P.M., as advertised, pursuant to law. Commissioner Dodaro called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. and then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken with the following members of the Police Commission being present; namely, William Dodaro, Donald Farris, and Rose Hejl. Also present were Chief Fred Frego and Attorney David Austgen. Commissioner Robert Long, Commissioner Ronald Vale and Town Council Liaison Jerri Teibel were not present.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MONTH’S MINUTES

April 13, 2009 Regular Meeting - Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve the minutes as written from the April 13, 2009 Regular Meeting. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the motion carried unanimously (3-0).

CORRESPONDENCE / COMMUNICATIONS

There were no items of Correspondence / Communications presented at tonight’s meeting.

POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MONTHLY REPORT

Chief Frego read the monthly report for April 2009. Chief Frego stated that from April 1, 2009 through April 30, 2009, the members of the St. John Police Department logged 21,078 miles and responded to 514 incidents. The investigation of these incidents led to 43 adult arrests with 57 charges being filed, and 4 juvenile arrests with 8 charges being filed. There were 309 traffic citations issued along with 131 written warnings for a total of 440 citations being issued during the month of April 2009 by the officers of the St. John Police Department. Also during the month of April, vehicle thefts totaled $0.00, and all other thefts totaled $8,441.00. The total value of recovered property was $1,195.00. Regarding grant activity, the officers of the St. John Police Department, while working the OPO / BCC / OSS / DUI Taskforce Grants, issued 54 traffic citations and 40 written warnings for a total of 94 citations being issued on the grants during the month of April 2009. The investigation of these violations resulted in 0 adult arrests with 0 charges being filed and 0 juvenile arrests with 0 charges being filed on the grants for the month of April, 2009.

OLD BUSINESS

There were no items of “Old Business.”

REPORTS

Budget –

There was nothing new to report on the budget.

Physical Plant –

There was nothing new to report on the physical plant.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Commissioner Dodaro stated the Commission discussed at last month’s meeting the Eligibility List for Patrol Officer. He further stated this matter would be set aside until next month.

NEW BUSINESS

Police Personnel Matters (Chief F. Frego) –

Commissioner Dodaro stated he had before him tonight an order from Chief Fred Frego recommending disciplinary action on Captain Bernard Johnsen. The recommended disciplinary action is as follows:

• Bernard Johnsen shall be demoted from the rank of Captain to the merit rank of Sergeant;
• Bernard Johnsen shall be suspended without pay for 30 calendar days. This suspension will commence and end as determined by the Chief of Police; and
• Bernard Johnsen will comply with any employee assistance program as approved by the Chief of Police.

Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve the disciplinary action recommended by Chief Fred Frego regarding Captain Bernard Johnsen as written. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the motion carried unanimously (3-0). Chief Frego thanked the Commission for their time and consideration in this matter.

CHIEF’S COMMENTS

Chief Frego had no comments to make at this time.

ANY AND ALL

There were no matters brought up under “Any and All.”

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mr. Adrian Bugariu, of 11747 W. 90th Avenue, St. John, Indiana, advised he has been a resident of St. John for over 30 years, and he has been terrorized by the St. John Police Department for a long, long time. Mr. Bugariu continued by stating he knew Bernie Johnsen since the year before Bernie came to the St. John Police Department. Mr. Bugariu then stated he wanted to know the reason why Bernie Johnsen was disciplined. Some discussion began, and Attorney Austgen advised the Commission not to talk about personnel matters here in this public meeting, on this public record, and regarding one of the Department’s police officers who was an individual under their jurisdictional authority. Commissioner Dodaro advised Mr. Bugariu the matter regarding Bernie Johnsen was a personnel issue, and it would not be discussed with him. Mr. Bugariu then began discussing issues he has with the St. John Police Department dating back over a period of 30 years, plus his issues with Chief Fred Frego, and his problems with Town Council Members Michael Fryzel and Jerri Teibel. Bugariu was repeatedly advised this was not the forum to address those matters, and he should complete the necessary Citizen/Officer Complaint Form at the St. John Police Department to have those complaints addressed. Commissioner Dodaro closed the floor for Public Comment.

MEETING SCHEDULE

The next Regular Meeting will be on Monday, June 8, 2009. There will be a Work Study Session only if deemed necessary. The Regular Public Meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. Any and all Executive Sessions will be advertised pursuant to law.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Hejl made a motion for adjournment. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:08 P.M.

Town of St. John, Lake County
Indiana, Board of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners

______________________________
Rose Hejl, Secretary

ATTEST:

________________________________
Joan M. Kolodziej, Recording Secretary

The July 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners of the Town of St. John was held on July 13, 2009 at 7:00 P.M., as advertised, pursuant to law. Commissioner Dodaro called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. and then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken with the following members of the Police Commission being present; namely, William Dodaro, Donald Farris, Rose Hejl and Robert Long. Also present were Chief Fred Frego and Attorney Timothy Kuiper. Commissioner Ronald Vale and Town Council Liaison Jerri Teibel were not present.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MONTH’S MINUTES

May 11, 2009 Regular Meeting - Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve the minutes as written from the May 11, 2009 Regular Meeting. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the motion carried unanimously (4-0).

CORRESPONDENCE / COMMUNICATIONS

There were no items of Correspondence / Communications presented at tonight’s meeting.

POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MONTHLY REPORT

Chief Frego read the monthly report for June 2009. Chief Frego stated that from June 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009, the members of the St. John Police Department logged 19,843 miles and responded to 645 incidents. The investigation of these incidents led to 26 adult arrests with 33 charges being filed, and 4 juvenile arrests with 6 charges being filed. There were 269 traffic citations issued along with 77 written warnings for a total of 346 citations being issued during the month of June 2009 by the officers of the St. John Police Department. Also during the month of June, vehicle thefts totaled $6,000.00, and all other thefts totaled $5,637.00. The total value of recovered property was $6,000.00. Regarding grant activity, the officers of the St. John Police Department, while working the OPO / BCC / OSS / DUI Taskforce Grants, issued 67 traffic citations and 47 written warnings for a total of 114 citations being issued on the grants during the month of June 2009. The investigation of these violations resulted in 4 adult arrests with 5 charges being filed and 0 juvenile arrests with 0 charges being filed on the grants for the month of June, 2009.

OLD BUSINESS

Police Officer Eligibility List –

Commissioner Dodaro stated the Department’s Police Officer Eligibility List has expired. In response to Commissioner Dodaro’s question regarding the grant application for monies to hire up to three (3) police officers, Chief Frego advised the award from that particular Grant will be announced sometime in late September, 2009. Chief Frego felt that the larger departments, like Toledo, Ohio which laid off 125 police officers, will be more likely to be the recipient of the award. It is felt the focus of the award will be to the larger cities who have laid off police officers because they would like to get those departments back to full strength. Chief Frego stated he is not overly optimistic that the St. John Police Department will be successful in receiving an award from this grant. Chief Frego stated he would like to have an Eligibility List in place by early Fall 2009. Much discussion ensued. Commissioner Hejl made a motion to start the process for creating a Police Officer Eligibility List by:

1. Advertising in local newspapers on Sunday, August 2, 2009 and Sunday, August 9, 2009, that the St. John Police Department will be accepting Police Officer Applications beginning Monday, August 3, 2009 thru the close of business (4:30 P.M.) on Friday, August 14, 2009; and
2. Applications will be available at the St. John Clerk’s Office from August 3, 2009 through August 14, 2009 at 4:30 P.M.; and
3. All applications must be completed and turned in to the St. John Police Department by Friday, September 4, 2009 at 4:30 P.M.; and
4. Applications will be available for a fee of $25.00; and
5. The Mandatory Orientation for all Police Officer Applicants will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 9:00 A.M.

With a second by Commissioner Long, the motion carried unanimously (4-0). In response to Chief Frego’s question, Commissioner Hejl made a motion to retain the services of the same testing company as was used during the last application process, that being the Standard Testing Company from Chicago, IL. With a second by Commissioner Long, the motion carried unanimously (4-0).

REPORTS

Budget –

Chief Frego advised the Town held a Preliminary Budget Meeting last Friday, and the figures are not out yet as to where the Town will be in 2010. However, it appears that the Town will be operating on the same budget numbers as in 2009.

HUMAN RESOURCES

There were no other matters to discuss under this topic than the Police Officer Eligibility List, which was already discussed at tonight’s meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

Revised St. John Police Department Organization Chart –

Commissioner Dodaro stated he had before him tonight a revised St. John Police Department Organization Chart. The only change on this chart is the reassignment of Sergeant Bernard Johnsen to the direction and supervision of the Services Division Commander. Commissioner Hejl made a motion to accept the revised St. John Police Department Organization Chart as presented. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the motion carried unanimously (4-0).

CHIEF’S COMMENTS

Chief Frego reminded the Commission that Tuesday, August 4, 2009, from 7 PM to 9 PM, the St. John Police Department will be hosting the 2009 National Night Out at the Prairie West Park, and he hoped that all Commissioners could be in attendance for this event.

Chief Frego advised that Corporal James Turturillo will be attending the Annual Indiana D.A.R.E. Officers State Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 6 & 7, 2009. This conference is mandatory and through his attendance, Corporal Turturillo will become certified in the upgrades that have been made to the program.

Chief Frego asked for the Commission’s approval to attend the Chiefs of Police Association’s Annual Fall Conference to be held in Indianapolis, IN in the Fall. Chief Frego stated this is a good conference, and it lasts only a day and a half. The Commission advised Chief Frego he could attend this conference.

ANY AND ALL

There were no matters brought up under “Any and All.”

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mr. Adrian Bugariu, of 11747 W. 90th Avenue, St. John, Indiana, stated he wished to discuss the behavior of (Commander) Mike Fryzel in 2005. Attorney Kuiper advised Mr. Bugariu that his matter has already been submitted and dealt with. Attorney Kuiper also stated that they have received several torte claim notices from Mr. Bugariu, and these matters are pending and ongoing litigation with him (Adrian Bugariu) on several matters. Mr. Bugariu continued by stating he believes the Town Council and the Police Commission did not receive any of his information because Mike Fryzel and Jerri Teibel tossed the paperwork into the garbage. Attorney Kuiper again advised that the paperwork has been received.

Mr. Matt Shirley, of 10024 Hedwig, stated that since Hedwig Drive was opened up to Bull Run Drive, he has a real hard time backing out of his driveway due to a blind spot in that area and the speeding vehicles now going down Hedwig Drive. He stated some of the vehicles driving through that area are going over 50 miles per hour. Mr. Shirley suggested that a stop sign or a speed bump be installed at this location to slow the traffic down. Chief Frego advised the Commission that he has spoken with Mr. Shirley and his neighbors regarding the speeding vehicles on Hedwig Drive now that it has been opened. Chief Frego stated the Department has had traffic enforcement at that location, and the speed sign was located out there for a while. Chief Frego stated he just received a report today from the traffic counter that was located out there for a couple of days, which gave the Department the ability to monitor the traffic flow in that location. Chief Frego stated the computer printout is a very interesting report, which provides dates, times, number of vehicles, vehicle speed from 0-75 mph, etc. In reviewing this report, it does reflect there is a problem on Hedwig Drive. Chief Frego stated he does not know if a stop sign will stop this problem. He felt it is more of an enforcement problem, and the officers have been writing tickets at this location. Chief Frego stated they now have a better idea of the times and direction of travel that seems to be the problem. It appears there are more vehicles speeding northbound between 4 P.M. and 5:30 P.M., and that is when the St. John Police Department will be targeting their enforcement. The report reflected that 92% of the vehicles were obeying the speed limit, but 8% were not, and they are the ones causing the problem. More discussion ensued. Mrs. Huzar, who was also present, stated they cannot get out of their driveway because they cannot see at all. Chief Frego invited Mrs. Huzar and Mr. Shirley to make an appointment with him, and he would share the information provided by the traffic study that was performed. More discussion ensued. Chief Frego advised the residents that the Department would be helping them out with this problem with both enforcement and possibly a stop sign, at a location yet to be determined.

Mr. Bugariu stated his subdivision is having the same problem with speeding vehicles on W. 90th Avenue going westbound to Knickerbocker. Mr. Bugariu continued by commenting that (Commander) Fryzel is one of the biggest offenders. Commissioner Dodaro advised Mr. Bugariu there is litigation between him (Bugariu) and the Town involving Commander Fryzel, and this line of comments could not continue. Attorney Kuiper advised Mr. Bugariu that he (Bugariu) has already picked his forum by choosing the torte claim notice, and by filing litigation. Further, Attorney Kuiper stated to Mr. Bugariu’s that his first comments (regarding speeding vehicles on W. 90th Avenue) were appropriate. However, the rest of his comments fall under the issues that has pending litigation.

MEETING SCHEDULE

The next Regular Meeting will be on Monday, August 10, 2009. There will be a Work Study Session only if deemed necessary. The Regular Public Meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. Any and all Executive Sessions will be advertised pursuant to law.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Hejl made a motion for adjournment. With a second by Commissioner Long, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:30 P.M.

Town of St. John, Lake County
Indiana, Board of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners

______________________________
Rose Hejl, Secretary

ATTEST:

________________________________
Joan M. Kolodziej, Recording Secretary

The August 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners of the Town of St. John was held on August 10, 2009 at 7:00 P.M., as advertised, pursuant to law. Commissioner Dodaro called the meeting to order promptly at 7:00 P.M. and then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken with the following members of the Police Commission being present; namely, William Dodaro, Donald Farris, Rose Hejl, Robert Long and Ronald Vale. Also present was Chief Fred Frego. Town Council Liaison Jerri Teibel was not present. No legal representation was present at the meeting.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MONTH’S MINUTES

July 13, 2009 Regular Meeting - Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve the minutes as written from the July 13, 2009 Regular Meeting. With a second by Commissioner Long, the motion carried unanimously (5-0).

CORRESPONDENCE / COMMUNICATIONS

There were no items of Correspondence / Communications presented at tonight’s meeting.

POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MONTHLY REPORT

Chief Frego read the monthly report for July 2009. Chief Frego stated that from July 1, 2009 through July 31, 2009, the members of the St. John Police Department logged 20,420 miles and responded to 631 incidents. The investigation of these incidents led to 29 adult arrests with 41 charges being filed, and 1 juvenile arrest with 2 charges being filed. There were 248 traffic citations issued along with 48 written warnings for a total of 296 citations being issued during the month of July 2009 by the officers of the St. John Police Department. Also during the month of July, vehicle thefts totaled $18,000.00, and all other thefts totaled $19,703.00. The total value of recovered property was $435.00. Regarding grant activity, the officers of the St. John Police Department, while working the OPO / BCC / OSS / DUI Taskforce Grants, issued 31 traffic citations and 22 written warnings for a total of 53 citations being issued on the grants during the month of July 2009. The investigation of these violations resulted in 1 adult arrest with 1 charge being filed and 0 juvenile arrests with 0 charges being filed on the grants for the month of July, 2009.

OLD BUSINESS

There were no items of “Old Business” for tonight’s meeting.

REPORTS

Budget –

Chief Frego stated he was advised the Police Department’s 300 Line items are all negative now. The 300 Line items are all operating items like building maintenance, vehicle maintenance, etc. These items are currently being funded with revenue received from the Infraction Deferral Program. This may change at a later date, but for the rest of the year, “it’s slim pickins’.”

Chief Frego stated he learned about two (2) weeks ago, the only towns in the area to receive funds from the Stimulus Grant were East Chicago, Gary and Merrillville. Chief Frego stated it would have taken eight billion dollars to fill all the requests. Of the requests received, only 14% were granted; 86% were not, and St. John fell into the 86% category.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Police Officer Eligibility List –

Chief Frego stated that as of today, 76 application packets have been picked up. Applicants have until Friday, August 14, 2009 at 4:30 P.M. to pick up an application.

Chief Frego advised there have been some injuries to the Department’s officers. Reserve Officer Jeff Gembala broke his ankle, and Officer Mike Moffitt has a broken wrist. Officer Moffitt is expected to be off work for 6-8 weeks. Corporal Dave Demeter was just released for duty from his injury. Some discussion ensued.

Chief Frego confirmed that the Orientation for the police officer applicants will be on September 19, 2009 at 9:00 A.M. in the Public Safety Facility’s Training Room. The Physical Agility test will be conducted on September 26, 2009 at 9:00 A.M. (at a location to be determined). The Written Exam will be held on October 3, 2009 (at a location to be determined). After some discussion, the Commission decided to call an Executive Session, for the purpose of reviewing the police officer applications, on Friday, September 4, 2009, at 7:00 P.M. in the Public Safety Facility.

NEW BUSINESS

There were no items brought up under “New Business.”

CHIEF’S COMMENTS

Chief Frego stated the Department’s Second Annual “Night Out Against Crime” was held last Tuesday, August 4, 2009, and it was a success. Chief Frego thanked members of the Police Commission for being present at this event. This was the first time Town Council Members were present as well. Many positive comments were received, and the St. John Chamber has expressed an interest in being more involved in next year’s event. Some discussion ensued.

ANY AND ALL

There were no matters brought up under “Any and All.”

PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no “Public Comment” at tonight’s meeting.

MEETING SCHEDULE

The next Regular Meeting will be on Monday, September 14, 2009. The Regular Public Meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. There will be a Work Study Session only if deemed necessary. An Executive Session will be held on Friday, September 4, 2009, at 7:00 P.M. for the purpose of reviewing the police officer applications. Any and all Executive Sessions will be advertised pursuant to law.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Hejl made a motion for adjournment. With a second by Commissioner Vale, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:20 P.M.

Town of St. John, Lake County
Indiana, Board of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners

______________________________
Rose Hejl, Secretary

ATTEST:

________________________________
Joan M. Kolodziej, Recording Secretary

The October 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners of the Town of St. John was held on October 12, 2009 at 7:00 P.M., as advertised, pursuant to law. Commissioner Dodaro called the meeting to order promptly at 7:00 P.M. and then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken with the following members of the Police Commission being present; namely, William Dodaro, Donald Farris, and Ron Vale. Also present were Chief Fred Frego and Town Council Liaison Jerri Teibel. Commissioners Rose Hejl and Robert Long were not present. No legal representation was present at the meeting.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MONTH’S MINUTES

August 10, 2009 Regular Meeting - Commissioner Farris made a motion to approve the minutes as written from the August 10, 2009 Regular Meeting. With a second by Commissioner Vale, the motion carried unanimously (3-0). The are no minutes to be approved from the September 2009 Regular Meeting as that meeting was cancelled due to a lack of a quorum.

CORRESPONDENCE / COMMUNICATIONS

There were no items of Correspondence / Communications presented at tonight’s meeting.

POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MONTHLY REPORT

Chief Frego read the monthly report for September 2009. Chief Frego stated that from September 1, 2009 through September 30, 2009, the members of the St. John Police Department logged 17,926 miles and responded to 504 incidents. The investigation of these incidents led to 14 adult arrests with 21 charges being filed, and 1 juvenile arrest with 1 charge being filed. There were 277 traffic citations issued along with 54 written warnings for a total of 331 citations being issued during the month of September 2009 by the officers of the St. John Police Department. Also during the month of September, vehicle thefts totaled $0.00, and all other thefts totaled $30,967.00. The total value of recovered property was $0.00. Regarding grant activity, the officers of the St. John Police Department, while working the OPO / BCC / OSS / DUI Taskforce Grants, issued 49 traffic citations and 29 written warnings for a total of 78 citations being issued on the grants during the month of September 2009. The investigation of these violations resulted in 0 adult arrests with 0 charges being filed and 0 juvenile arrests with 0 charges being filed on the grants for the month of September, 2009. Chief Frego explained that the majority of the loss reported for thefts ($30,967.00 for the month) came from one burglary case in particular wherein the resident claimed a large amount of expensive jewelry had been stolen.

OLD BUSINESS

There were no items of “Old Business” for tonight’s meeting.

REPORTS

Budget –

Chief Frego stated the 2010 budget has not yet been approved. The budget is due to be approved and adopted at the Town Council Meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2009.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Police Officer Eligibility List –

Commissioner Dodaro advised that on Saturday, October 3, 2009, the written exam was taken by 38 applicants. The test has been sent out to be scored, and the results are expected in 7-10 days. When the results of the Written Exam are received, the Commission will then schedule an Executive Session to determine the minimum standards and to review the test results.

NEW BUSINESS

There were no items brought up under “New Business.”

CHIEF’S COMMENTS

Chief Frego stated the traffic situation that is currently occurring on Wicker Avenue and W. 93rd Avenue due to the road construction is horrendous. Fortunately, there have not been many accidents due to the traffic and the construction. Some discussion ensued regarding the road construction.

ANY AND ALL

Reference the Eligibility List, Commissioner Dodaro informed Town Council Member Jerri Teibel that originally there were 126 application packets purchased, but only 63 application packets were returned. After the Orientation, there were only 39 applicants who responded to take the Physical Agility Test. All 39 applicants passed the Physical Agility Test, and only 38 participated in taking the Written Exam. Currently, the number of applicants stands at 38. At this time, hiring any of the applicants is not anticipated; however, a new Eligibility List will be generated. Chief Frego advised Mrs. Teibel that originally the Police Department had anticipated hiring as many as three (3) officers with grant monies that were applied for; however, the St. John Police Department was not awarded any grant monies (neither were any neighboring Towns who had applied). Chief Frego stated that 84% of the departments that applied for the grant money to utilize for hiring new officers were denied, and only 16% were awarded the grant monies. Commissioner Dodaro stated at this time there are no plans for hiring additional officers and the intent is to create the Eligibility List to have available should hiring become an option , possibly due to the retirement of current officer(s). Some discussion ensued.

PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no “Public Comment” at tonight’s meeting.

MEETING SCHEDULE

The next Regular Meeting will be on Monday, November 9, 2009. The Regular Public Meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. There will be a Work Study Session only if deemed necessary. An Executive Session will be scheduled once the written exams are returned. Any and all Executive Sessions will be advertised pursuant to law.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Vale made a motion for adjournment. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:09 P.M.

Town of St. John, Lake County
Indiana, Board of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners

______________________________
Rose Hejl, Secretary

ATTEST:

________________________________
Joan M. Kolodziej, Recording Secretary

The November 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners of the Town of St. John was held on November 9, 2009 at 7:00 P.M., as advertised, pursuant to law. Commissioner Dodaro called the meeting to order promptly at 7:00 P.M. and then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken with the following members of the Police Commission being present; namely, William Dodaro, Rose Hejl, Robert Long, and Ron Vale. Also present was Chief Fred Frego. Commissioner Donald Farris and Town Council Liaison Jerri Teibel were not present. No legal representation was present at the meeting. Commissioner Dodaro welcomed Town Council Vice President Michael Forbes, who was in the audience at this meeting.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MONTH’S MINUTES

October 12, 2009 Regular Meeting - Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve the minutes as written from the October 12, 2009 Regular Meeting. With a second by Commissioner Vale, the motion carried unanimously (4-0).

CORRESPONDENCE / COMMUNICATIONS

Chief Frego advised he has received the test results from the Written Test that the police officer applicants took on Saturday, October 3, 2009. Chief Frego stated the envelope is sealed, and he has not viewed the results.

POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MONTHLY REPORT

Chief Frego read the monthly report for October 2009. Chief Frego stated that from October 1, 2009 through October 31, 2009, the members of the St. John Police Department logged 18,874 miles and responded to 532 incidents. The investigation of these incidents led to 21 adult arrests with 29 charges being filed, and 1 juvenile arrest with 2 charges being filed. There were 163 traffic citations issued along with 51 written warnings for a total of 213 citations being issued during the month of October 2009 by the officers of the St. John Police Department. Also during the month of October, vehicle thefts totaled $21,400.00, and all other thefts totaled $9,859.00. The total value of recovered property was $0.00. Regarding grant activity, the officers of the St. John Police Department, while working the OPO / BCC / OSS / DUI Taskforce Grants, issued 30 traffic citations and 11 written warnings for a total of 41 citations being issued on the grants during the month of October 2009. The investigation of these violations resulted in 5 adult arrests with 5 charges being filed and 0 juvenile arrests with 0 charges being filed on the grants for the month of October, 2009.

OLD BUSINESS

There were no items of “Old Business” for tonight’s meeting.

REPORTS

Budget –

Chief Frego stated the 2010 budget has not yet been approved, but he believes the 2010 Budget will be the same as the 2009 Budget.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Police Officer Eligibility List –

Commissioner Dodaro stated the Commission is in the process of compiling an Eligibility List for Police Officer. To date, an orientation, an agility test and a written test have been completed. Chief Frego currently is in possession of the results of the written test, and tonight the Commission will schedule an Executive Session for opening the test results and for determining the minimum standards. Letters will be mailed to the applicants after the Executive Session. The Commission then scheduled an Executive Session for Monday, November 16, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. to be held in the Police Chief’s Conference Room in the Public Safety Building.

NEW BUSINESS

There were no items brought up under “New Business.”

CHIEF’S COMMENTS

Chief Frego stated he believes they have had the final meeting with the Schererville Police Department reference the technical grant that was received through Congressman Visclosky’s Office. Schererville is administering the grant, but all three (3) towns (Dyer, Schererville, and St. John) are getting equal shares. St. John’s share is $155,000. Clarification was needed on bidding, invoicing, etc. St. John is currently in the process of submitting the necessary request forms with quotes for the items we are looking to purchase; namely, lap tops, a server, personal computers, walkies, wiring, cabling, etc. The new server will be installed in the Public Safety Building and not in Town Hall. Commissioner Long questioned Chief Frego reference the existence of a records retention program for the documents and records that reside on the current server. Some discussion ensued. Commissioner Long suggested that Chief Frego look into this matter further.

ANY AND ALL

There were no matters of “Any and All.”

PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no “Public Comment” at tonight’s meeting.

MEETING SCHEDULE

The next Regular Meeting will be on Monday, December 14, 2009. The Regular Public Meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. There will be a Work Study Session only if deemed necessary. An Executive Session has been scheduled for Monday, November 16, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. in the Police Chief’s Conference Room located in the Public Safety Facility. Any and all Executive Sessions will be advertised pursuant to law.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Hejl made a motion for adjournment. With a second by Commissioner Long, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:07 P.M.

Town of St. John, Lake County
Indiana, Board of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners

______________________________
Rose Hejl, Secretary

ATTEST:

________________________________
Joan M. Kolodziej, Recording Secretary

The December 2009 Regular Meeting of the Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners of the Town of St. John was held on December 14, 2009 at 7:00 P.M., as advertised, pursuant to law. Commissioner Dodaro called the meeting to order promptly at 7:00 P.M. and then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken with the following members of the Police Commission being present; namely, William Dodaro, Rose Hejl, and Donald Farris. Also present was Chief Fred Frego. Commissioners Robert Long and Ronald Vale, and Town Council Liaison Jerri Teibel were not present. Town Council Vice-President Michael Forbes arrived at approximately 7:08 P.M. No legal representation was present at the meeting.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MONTH’S MINUTES

November 9, 2009 Regular Meeting - Commissioner Hejl made a motion to approve the minutes as written from the November 9, 2009 Regular Meeting. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the motion carried unanimously (3-0).

CORRESPONDENCE / COMMUNICATIONS

Chief Frego advised he had two (2) items of correspondence that were received by the Police Department. Commissioner Hejl read a letter from Samantha Zorbas, Asset Protection Leader at the St. John Target Store, which was addressed to Chief Fred Frego. Said letter advised that on Friday, November 27, 2009, also known as “Black Friday”, the St. John Target requested police assistance on short notice due to a crowd size of over 500 guests that were awaiting the opening of the store. The letter states that within five (5) minutes of Target’s call, an officer arrived at the store and with his assistance; they were able to manage the large crowd with ease. Target stated that the partnership, professionalism and dedication exhibited by the St. John officers is exceptional. St. John officers display the highest level of commitment, integrity and collaboration while representing the Police Department to highest standards. Target wished to extend their appreciation and gratitude for the dedication and often unrecognized efforts of the members of the St. John Police Department. In addition to this piece of correspondence, the Target store also sent a large tray of Subway sandwiches to the Police Department on Saturday, December 5, 2009 in appreciation for the Department’s assistance on Black Friday.

Commissioner Hejl read a second letter from St. John residents Amy and Jim Monihan. Said letter thanked the Police Department for the phone call they received during the night advising that they had left their garage door open. The Monihan’s stated they truly appreciated the call and this fantastic service. They stated that although making a phone call seems like a small task, it has a very large benefit – family security. The Monihan’s wished to thank the Department for their time and effort and for the wonderful job that the Department does. In response to Commissioner Dodaro’s question, Chief Frego advised that the officers who responded in these incidents have been identified.

POLICE DEPARTMENT’S MONTHLY REPORT

Chief Frego read the monthly report for November 2009. Chief Frego stated that from November 1, 2009 through November 30, 2009, the members of the St. John Police Department logged 18,202 miles and responded to 461 incidents. The investigation of these incidents led to 24 adult arrests with 34 charges being filed, and 4 juvenile arrests with 4 charges being filed. There were 223 traffic citations issued along with 41 written warnings for a total of 264 citations being issued during the month of November 2009 by the officers of the St. John Police Department. Also during the month of November, vehicle thefts totaled $25,000.00, and all other thefts totaled $4,597.00. The total value of recovered property was $20,000.00. Regarding grant activity, the officers of the St. John Police Department, while working the OPO / BCC / OSS / DUI Taskforce Grants, issued 4 traffic citations and 6 written warnings for a total of 10 citations being issued on the grants during the month of November 2009. The investigation of these violations resulted in 6 adult arrests with 6 charges being filed and 0 juvenile arrests with 0 charges being filed on the grants for the month of November, 2009.

OLD BUSINESS

There were no items of “Old Business” for tonight’s meeting.

REPORTS

Budget –

Chief Frego stated the 2010 budget is scheduled to by adopted by the Town Council Meeting at their meeting on Thursday, December 17, 2009.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Police Officer Eligibility List –

Commissioner Dodaro stated the Commission has completed the interviews of the 35 eligible applicants. Of the 35 applicants, 33 were interviewed, and there were 2 no-shows. The Commission will call an Executive Session sometime after the Holidays to finalize the Eligibility List. Commissioner Dodaro stated he believes they will have a list of fine, highly qualified candidates as there are a lot of excellent candidates who have applied. Commissioner Dodaro also commented that all five (5) Police Commissioners were present both weeks for the interviews, which gave them a lot of insight into different perspectives of the interviews.

Commissioner Dodaro advised the Commission was in receipt of correspondence from Chief Frego to the Clerk Treasurer advising of Departmental Restructuring. Said memorandum stated effective at 0001 hours on Saturday, December 19, 2009, Michael Fryzel will relinquish the rank of Commander and will return to his previous rank of Sergeant, and to adjust his pay accordingly. In response to Commissioner Dodaro’s question, Chief Frego advised that the position of Commander was being eliminated at this time.

NEW BUSINESS

There were no items brought up under “New Business.”

CHIEF’S COMMENTS

Chief Frego thanked the Commission for all their time and effort they have put forth during the interview process. Chief Frego stated there has been a lot of hard work done by the Commissioners, and he wanted them to know it is appreciated.

ANY AND ALL

Town Council Vice President M. Forbes inquired as to how many applicants are on the Police Officer Eligibility List. Commissioner Dodaro advised that the final list is not complete yet, but he anticipates there will be between 23-28 applicants on the final list. There are a lot of really good, excellent, qualified candidates. He stated it will be tough to put them in order from top to bottom, but the end result will be a very good list.

Commissioner Dodaro advised that the President of the Schererville Town Council, Perry Ferrini, passed away Sunday evening, December 13, 2009. Commissioner Dodaro stated he has known Mr. Ferrini for a very long time, and he was an absolutely wonderful human being and a great family man. Mr. Ferrini’s wake will be on Friday, December 18, 2009, from 2-9 PM, but it was not known for sure as to which funeral home will be handling the arrangements. Burial will be on Saturday. At this time, all the arrangements have not been finalized. Chief Frego stated he has been in contact with the Schererville Police Department regarding this matter, and he has advised them the St. John Police Department will be available to them for Mr. Ferrini’s funeral.

PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no “Public Comment” at tonight’s meeting.

MEETING SCHEDULE

The next Regular Meeting will be on Monday, January 11, 2010. The Regular Public Meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. There will be a Work Study Session only if deemed necessary. An Executive Session will be scheduled sometime after the Holidays for the purpose of completing the Police Officer Eligibility List. Any and all Executive Sessions will be advertised pursuant to law.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Hejl made a motion for adjournment. With a second by Commissioner Farris, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:13 P.M.

Town of St. John, Lake County
Indiana, Board of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners

______________________________
Rose Hejl, Secretary

ATTEST:

________________________________
Joan M. Gorcos, Recording Secretary