Workshop raises legal question about police 'Alliance' and whether it meets IC code for a union
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Summary
Council and staff discussed a recently formed police "Alliance," differing attorney advice on whether its formation meets IC code and the payroll and collective‑bargaining implications of disbanding the group.
At the budget workshop staff and council members discussed legal questions surrounding a police employee organization described as an "Alliance," and whether its formation under the IC code constitutes a union for payroll and collective‑bargaining purposes. The exchange centered on legal advice obtained by both the city and the police group.
A staff member reported having received written input from a labor attorney and relayed that the attorney who represents the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Leo Blackwell, told staff the Alliance’s formation "is absolutely legal" and that "everything you've done, I don't have an issue with." The staff member also said the city’s labor attorney had raised a related question about whether, if the Alliance were to disband, the arrangement would still be treated as an organization subject to state certification and whether that would enable collective bargaining.
"If you open that up to one group to do that, ... any other group can take that same path," a staff member said, summarizing a legal concern that recognition of one organized group could invite other groups to seek the same payroll or recognition pathway. Payroll staff raised a practical question about state certification timing and whether a disbanded group would continue to create payroll or certification obligations.
Council members were told the formation followed steps set out in the IC code and that the labor attorney and the FOP attorney reached different characterizations of the result — one calling it a union and the other describing it as an organization. "They went through the IC code and did the correct things," a staff member said, and the matter was left for council determination on whether to accept the Alliance arrangement or take other action.
No formal policy action or vote on recognition, payroll processing, or collective bargaining authority was recorded in the workshop. Staff advised council to consider the legal memoranda and to decide whether to direct further steps; they noted payroll certification with the state and related timing as factors that affect both budget and process.
Council did not take action at the workshop and asked staff to provide the written attorney input for review before issuing final direction.
