Ossian sent would-be officer to ILEA, but he’s decided to work for Bluffton
By GLEN WERLING
Evan Holliday will not be patrolling the streets of Ossian anytime soon.
Holliday, a recent hire to the Ossian Police Department, submitted his written resignation to the Ossian Town Council Monday night.
Holliday was wrapping up training at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in preparation for filling the fifth slot on the Ossian Department. Instead, he has accepted a position with the Bluffton Police Department.
“This decision is not something that was easy for me,” Holliday wrote in his letter. “After reflecting on my future, I have decided it would be best for me to pursue another professional opportunity.”
Holliday was not present for Monday night’s meeting.
Council members Josh Barkley, Brad Pursley, Jeff Kemper and Dennis Ealing appeared more than a little irked by Holliday’s decision — especially since Ossian had put a lot of time, effort and cash into training him only to have him leave after just a few months. Holliday is on track to graduate from ILEA in April.
The board members discussed briefly ways to get Bluffton to recoup Ossian for its expense in training Holliday. Barkley asked Ossian Police Chief Dave Rigney to assess the cost of the training. Barkley then plans to take those numbers to Bluffton to try and recoup the expense.
In other business, Barkley swore in Jared Kurtz as a new park board member of the Ossian-Jefferson Township Board of Parks and Recreation.
Kurtz fills the vacancy created when Ashley Harmon decided to not be reappointed to the board.
The council members also adopted ordinance 22-3-1, amending Schedule A of the town’s salary ordinance to increase the amount of several police officers’ clothing allowance for 2022 only for the purchase of wireless uniform radio microphones.
The council also approved the hiring of Steven Scott Peterson to fill the vacancy in the utility department. Town Manager Luann Martin said Peterson will require some training, but is eager to learn.
Peterson will be paid $17 an hour.
Rigney reviewed his department’s annual report with the council for 2021. Details of the report and Rigney’s observations about it were featured in the March 8 edition of the News-Banner.
Caleb Chicester, president of the Ossian Metropolitan Board of Police Commissioners reported to the council that the order for the new Ford Explorer patrol vehicle has been placed and it should be assembled in June.
“Hopefully it will be delivered sometime shortly thereafter,” Chichester said.
glenw@news-banner.com
