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Elkhart Police Merit Commission approves four new officers and swears them in; chief outlines wellbeing supports
Summary
The Elkhart Police Merit Commission unanimously approved four hires, administered the oath to the new officers and accepted routine personnel status changes. Commissioners asked about wellness checks; the interim chief said class/status moves are automatic but the department offers peer support, chaplains and social-worker access.
The Elkhart Police Merit Commission unanimously approved the hiring of four new officers and administered their oaths at a meeting in Elkhart.
Interim Police Chief presented the candidates and asked the commission to approve them. Commissioners voted 5–0 to hire Brandon Lewandowski, Efimio (transcript shows spelling variation) Ochoa, Mitchell Parmer and Evan Townsend. The chief said each candidate cleared backgrounds, testing and medical and psychological screenings required to serve with the Elkhart Police Department.
The four new officers were introduced with brief biographies: Lewandowski graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in 2018 and previously served with St. Joseph County and New Carlisle police departments; Ochoa has local roots and serves in the Indiana National Guard; Parmer has prior U.S. Army service and college degrees in business administration and exercise science; Townsend is a Purdue graduate currently serving in the Indiana Air National Guard. The commission welcomed each recruit after the roll-call votes.
After the hires, Mayor (name not specified in the transcript) administered the oath of office and swore in the four officers. During the swearing-in and a short recess for photographs, Commissioner Reverend Jean Mays addressed the new officers, thanking them and urging them to serve impartially. Mays said, “We’ve hired you as a commission, but your employers are the citizens of Elkhart… We want them to trust you, to appreciate you, and for you to let them know that you’re there to not only protect them, but to respect them.”
Commissioner Mays also asked whether status changes — such as moving from 3rd to 2nd class patrolman after a first year — include formal interviews or wellness check-ins. The interim police chief replied that those class/status progressions are essentially automatic and are a marker of having completed probationary time and training. He said there is no formal interview tied to the status change itself but that the department provides multiple supports to officers: “peer support programs, chaplains, social workers… and the city offers employee services,” he said, adding those resources are available to officers across all years of service.
The chief and commissioners discussed staffing levels and timing: while adding four hires moves head count in a positive direction, the chief said it will be months before the recruits are independently assigned to squad cars, and retirements and other departures mean staffing remains fluid.
The interim chief also announced the retirement of Detective Ronnie Baron, whose last day will be July 14. The chief said Baron served about 10 years with the Elkhart Police Department and just over 20 years in law enforcement overall.
The commission accepted routine personnel notifications — including multiple patrolmen moving from 3rd to 2nd class or from 2nd to 1st class after completing required service time — and adjourned after regular business. No public comments were taken during the meeting.
