LAWRENCE — The ranks of the Lawrence Police Department reached a record high when Mayor Dean Jessup swore in six new police officers. The permanent force will number 62 beginning Jan. 1, its highest number of officers in the city’s history. The department will temporarily have 63 officers, but a veteran officer has put in for his retirement and is expected to leave by year’s end.
The police ranks stood at 54 when 2015 began but the budget for 2016 has sufficient funds for 62. By hiring still another four officers, Lawrence fulfilled the intent of the City-County Council in Indianapolis/Marion County when it voted a year ago to raise the public-safety income tax from 0.35 percent to 0.5 percent. That generates an additional $29 million a year, $1.9 million of which is shared by Marion County municipalities other than Indianapolis. Lawrence’s share is $860,000.
The new officers were sworn in today included Aaron Clegg, Derek Loyal, Benjamin Myers, Devin Randle, Wyatt Stevens, and Josh Wise.
