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Crown Point board approves new lieutenant rank, unilateral promotions and phlebotomy policy for officers
Summary
The Board of Public Works & Safety adopted CPPD Policy 200 to add a lieutenant rank, authorized unilateral promotions of current sergeants to lieutenant, and approved Policy 343 to allow trained officers to perform evidentiary blood draws; all measures passed by unanimous voice votes.
The Crown Point Board of Public Works & Safety on May 20 approved changes that create a lieutenant rank in the Crown Point Police Department, allow the chief to move current sergeants into that rank without a full promotion cycle and adopt a new policy enabling officer phlebotomy for impaired‑driving evidence.
Police Commander Dominic Valsi told the Board the department has added responsibilities that make a more formalized chain of command appropriate and that the reorganization can be implemented without increasing costs under the current salary ordinance. The Board voted unanimously to adopt CPPD Policy 200, which reestablishes job duties and hierarchy and creates the lieutenant position.
Commander Valsi also asked the Board to permit unilateral promotions of officers who currently hold the rank of sergeant to lieutenant, ahead of a formal promotion list process. The Board approved that request; Valsi said a promotion list would be certified within about two months.
Separately, the Board adopted CPPD Policy 343, which lays the groundwork for sending officers to state-provided training to perform evidentiary blood draws. Valsi said the State of Indiana is offering training, supplies and retraining at no cost to local agencies, and that the policy is a necessary precursor to sending officers for that certification.
City Attorney Alex Kutanovski told the Board he had reviewed the policies and recommended approval. Each item — the rank change, unilateral promotions and the phlebotomy policy — passed on motions by Member Bob Clemons with seconds from Member Betsy Barnes and carried by unanimous voice vote.
The Board also approved a routine personnel status change requested by the police command: Patrolman Zach Buss was moved off probationary status to full patrol retroactive to April 25, 2026.
The actions take effect administratively; Valsi said more procedural steps, including certifying promotion lists, will follow at a later date.
