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Tipton fire, police report hires and training plans; police recommend life-saving award and join county wellness grant
Summary
Fire and police department reports to the Tipton Board of Public Safety covered new hires, training plans, facility needs and a proposed countywide wellness program. The board heard a recommendation that Officer Grama Tansey receive a life-saving award after administering naloxone during an overdose call.
Tipton City’s fire and police departments reported personnel changes, training plans and program proposals to the Board of Public Safety, and police leaders recommended a life-saving award for an officer who administered naloxone during an overdose response.
Fire Department: Chief Keith Pittner (identified in the meeting as the fire department presenter) told the board that new hire Josh Vincent passed his emergency medical technician (EMT) certification and that Vincent and another employee, Seth, will attend a fire academy at the Muncie Fire Department from June 2 through Aug. 15. Pittner said the academy will provide multiple certifications, including NIMS, hazmat awareness, hazmat operations, Firefighter I and II, and driver/operator training. Chief Pittner also described progress on installing a secure controlled-substance vault (required for a DEA license): a camera and DVR have been installed and shatterproof film will be applied to the office window.
Pittner requested the board’s help identifying potential sites for a department training area. He discussed options including unused industrial-park parcels, former ball-field acreage and a narrow strip of land between Industrial Drive and the creek. Pittner described a lower-cost training option used by other departments: outfitting shipping containers (ConX boxes) as burn and rescue simulators that could be acquired incrementally out of future budgets.
Police Department: The police report included calls and traffic-stop statistics (traffic stops down from 256 to 213 over the reporting period and more than 600 calls), hiring interviews on the agenda for that night, community outreach events including DARE graduations, and department donations to school lunch programs. The police chief (identified in the meeting as the presenting police chief) noted that Officer Troy Southman was taken off probation and is now a full-time officer.
Countywide wellness program: Police leaders described a countywide wellness initiative led by Ray Shepherd, jail commander at the Tipton County Jail, with an executive committee that includes local police and fire chiefs. The group has applied for grant funding — the transcript cites a $25,000 grant application to start the program — and said funds would be routed through the county. The program is grant-funded and intended to provide counseling and wellness resources for first responders countywide; program leaders said county financial staff will handle claims and that the sheriff’s office will manage grant applications.
Life-saving award: The police chief read a letter from Sergeant Leisure recommending that Officer Grama Tansey receive a life-saving award for a May 6/7 response in which Tansey administered naloxone to an unresponsive person and helped restore breathing and consciousness. The letter requested formal recognition; meeting participants praised the officer’s response and linked the recommendation to the department’s emerging wellness resources.
Ending: Department leaders will proceed with training plans, pursue facility options for a training site and continue coordination on the countywide wellness initiative. Staff said they will move forward with required steps to obtain a DEA license for controlled substances storage, and the board accepted the award recommendation for Officer Tansey for departmental recognition pending personnel-file processing.
