Marshal seeks upgrades

REDKEY — The new marshal has been looking into options to improve the town’s police department.

He’s also gearing up to find another employee to help with the workload.

Redkey Town Council heard requests Thursday from Town Marshal Kyle Denney about purchasing new equipment and hiring another officer.

Denney, who was hired as town marshal earlier this month, shared a list of items at the department needing updated or replaced, including a preliminary breath test device, a radar unit, vehicle dashboard cameras, automated external defibrillator (AED) units, tasers or taser batteries and drug test kits. The department also needs to install a gun safe, he added, to properly store its weapons.

In addition, he said his department needs new radios in patrol vehicles as well as new portable radios.

“I cannot hear traffic from the county, and the county has a hard time hearing traffic from Redkey itself,” said Denney. “I noticed that the fire department, they’re clear as day. But I don’t know what the deal is with ours.”

He pointed out plans to switch the county’s system to 800 megahertz radios in the future. That frequency, he said, would work better in Redkey to combat the high number of dead zones. (He shared a quote with council, which priced 700-megahertz car radios at $528 each.)

Regardless, council president Erik Hammers noted, Redkey will have to update its radios at some point. He suggested waiting until the county makes a decision before the town invest in new units.

“I definitely don’t want to buy something twice if they’re going to upgrade a month from now,” Hammers said. “We’re going to have these radios that are brand new and we can’t use them.”

Council member Gary Gardner asked about plans to hire a second officer. Denney confirmed he would like to have another employee as soon as possible.

“I need someone else hired,” said Denney. “There is a lot that needs done in there.”

He referred to disorganized files and an abundance of evidence from cases dating back as far as the 1990s.

“There’s just so much stuff that I have to do, and I can’t do it alone,” he said.

Town attorney Wes Schemenaur suggested Denney conduct interviews along with council vice president Chance Retter, who was absent from Thursday’s meeting. (Retter served as town marshal for seven months and resigned in January. He had been elected to a seat on council and he became a deputy at Jay County Sheriff’s Office. Retter is currently undergoing training at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.)

Council members agreed to purchase new tires for the department’s Chevrolet Tahoe from Rich’s Auto Repair for $1,013.12. They also learned Denney will be purchasing new vehicle decals for $499.

In other business, council members Floyd Life, Hammers and Gardner, absent John Pierce and Retter:

•Learned from Stephanie Patterson of Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition about an opportunity to install a Naloxone box in the community. (The medication is used to reverse an overdose from opioids.)

•Heard from Jan Showalter and other residents at Westwind and Redkey Apartments. They requested Denney patrol the area, noting weekly marijuana users in the parking lot. They also lamented the state of the apartments and asked council to take action against the property owners. Town attorney Wes Schemenaur noted the matter is a civil issue.

•Were reminded about Culpepper and Merriweather Circus coming to Redkey. Shows at the tractor pull grounds will start at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday.

•Renewed a 10-year lease agreement with the State of Indiana for the current town building at 8922 W. Indiana 67. The town pays $1 annually to occupy the building.

•Tabled a request from Key Palace Theater to make a proclamation designating May 13 as “Anthony Gomes Day.” (Gomes, a musician, performed at the venue May 13.) Clerk-treasurer Mary Eley noted the business requested the town make the proclamation prior to that date, but their request wasn’t submitted in time.

•Formally accepted a donation of three see-saws from Jeff Miller.

•OK’d paying $75 to use the town’s insurance for summer concerts at the gazebo in town. Plans are in the works to offer free concerts in June, July and September.

•Paid $97,282.94 in claims and made a $168.96 water adjustment.