Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Of Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cedar Lake council adopts ordinance confirming Board of Safety disciplinary authority
Summary
Cedar Lake’s Town Council voted 7-0 June 16 to adopt Ordinance 15-23, aligning local code with a state change that limits civilian oversight bodies to advisory roles and affirms the Board of Safety’s discipline and operational authority.
Cedar Lake’s Town Council adopted Ordinance 15‑23 on June 16, moving the town code into agreement with changes at the state level that reserve disciplinary powers to the Board of Safety rather than citizen oversight entities.
The ordinance, read by council staff during the meeting, mirrors the state amendment that “civilian oversight boards … will be limited to advisory roles and cannot directly discipline officers,” a council member summarized during debate. Town Attorney David Austin told the council the local measure essentially repeats the state law and would make the Board of Safety the working body with authority for discipline and operations of police and fire services.
Supporters said the change clarifies lines of authority and preserves traditional operational structures. “The Board of Safety is the working body under this law,” Austin said, adding the council would still approve hires on the Board of Safety’s recommendation. Critics asked how day‑to‑day responsibilities, purchasing thresholds and equipment policy oversight would be carried out under the reorganized duties; staff and department heads said those functions would continue to be coordinated through department heads and the Board of Safety.
Council members also discussed internal procedures and thresholds for purchases. One council member asked whether department heads would continue to manage routine purchases and how multi‑thousand dollar procurements would be routed; staff said purchase orders and existing thresholds would remain in place and the Board of Safety would adopt rules and regulations for personnel matters while hires would still require town council approval.
The council voted to adopt Ordinance 15‑23 by roll call, 7‑0. The ordinance was described as a second reading at the meeting and will be added to the town code as amended.
Next steps: staff will distribute the adopted ordinance to the Board of Safety and department heads and incorporate any required rulemaking and procedural notices to affected departments.
