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Elkhart commission approves two police hires, swears in candidates
Summary
The Elkhart Police Merit Commission approved hires for two prospective officers — Dakota Pratt and Edward Sapindian — on Aug. 10, 2026, and recessed briefly to swear them in. Both approvals passed by unanimous roll-call votes.
The Elkhart Police Merit Commission voted unanimously Aug. 10 to hire two prospective officers and recessed the meeting so the candidates could be sworn in.
Acting Captain Travis Snyder, filling in for Chief Whitmire, introduced the first candidate, Dakota Pratt, and told the commission Pratt "has passed all of the required medical and psychological screening" and the appropriate background checks needed "to become employed with the Elkhart Police Department as a police officer." The commission moved and approved the hire and set the swearing-in date as Aug. 10, 2026.
Snyder then presented Edward Sapindian, saying Sapindian also had completed the medical and psychological screenings and the background checks necessary for employment with the department. Commissioners congratulated both candidates after roll-call votes in favor.
The meeting recessed for the swearing-in ceremony, conducted by the mayor's designee; the commission then resumed business. No public comments were offered during the meeting.
