Council delays police commission appointment to allow candidate interviews

The Fortville Town Council on Tuesday deferred a decision on appointing a new member to the town’s police commission, asking the police commission to conduct candidate interviews and return with interview outcomes or documentation before council appointment.

Staff listed five nominees, including Corey Monsell (the police commission recommendation), Thomas Charles Robinson Jr., Shawn Simmons, Chris Sears and Teresa Working. Teresa Working, who attended the meeting, introduced herself and detailed more than two decades of Fortville residency, volunteer work with Fortville Action and 4‑H, and fundraising support for the police department.

Council members raised multiple procedural and substantive concerns during deliberations. Members questioned whether some candidates meet Fortville residency preferences and asked about conflicts if a nominee were currently employed as an officer in another jurisdiction; staff replied that any commissioner who had been involved in disciplinary actions would need to abstain from related votes and that outside officers sometimes serve on commissions in other towns. Several members said the police commission ought to hold interviews—possibly in executive session—and provide the council with interview notes or video so councilors can evaluate candidates before making appointments.

The council did not make an appointment and agreed to place the item on the next meeting agenda after the commission interviews candidates and returns its recommendation along with any interview materials. Council members also discussed the desirability of a more standardized interview process for all advisory boards going forward.