An attorney for a high-ranking Indianapolis police officer, who was recently demoted, has written a letter to the mayor asking him to review the situation. Indianapolis attorney Robert Turner, who represents Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Darryl Pierce, wrote Mayor Greg Ballard regarding the discipline.
Pierce was demoted from assistant chief to lieutenant in the wake of the fatal accident involving IMPD Officer David Bisard in which one person was killed and two were injured. Police Chief Paul Ciesielski demoted Pierce for “failing to recognize the gravity of the situation,” and for “failure to make sure that the crime scene was preserved, processed and supervised with the seriousness that every crime scene deserves,” according to a statement issued by Ciesielski. Two others were also demoted.
But Turner’s letter to Ballard objects to the demotion. It states, “Assistant Chief Pierce immediately contacted Chief Ciesielski by cell phone and informed him of the very serious and grave nature of the accident based upon his overview of the crime scene. Assistant Chief Pierce maintained communications with Chief Ciesielski during the approximate hour that he was on the scene speaking with the chief eight separate times from 11:36 a.m. until approximately 12:40 p.m., when Pierce left the scene by directive of Chief Ciesielski for a mandatory meeting scheduled for 1 p.m.”
IMPD spokesman Lt. Jeff L. Duhamell released a statement that said, “At this time the chief is not discussing any further details in reference to the David Bisard incident, as the investigation is ongoing.”
