Following placement on paid administrative leave, Clinton County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Melissa Trump is challenging the Clinton County Merit Board as she faces possible termination while she continues to request the opportunity to purchase her previous K9 partner Tiko.
According to documents filed on Aug. 30, Sheriff Rich Kelly preferred charges against Trump, and a Merit Board Hearing was set for Sept. 18 to address the issue. The initial hearing date was postponed to tomorrow, Oct. 16. The public hearing will allow for the Merit Board to solidify a decision regarding the preferred charges and the requested discipline, noted as “dismissal.” Trump claimed that the hearing is set to be the first merit termination trial in Clinton County history.
Trump stated that she was placed on administrative paid leave in March following the arrest of her son for illegal minor consumption of alcohol in Noblesville. According to Trump, her son was two-months away from his 21st birthday when he blew a .003 during a test. The filing stated that Trump utilized her Sheriff’s Office issued Portable Breath Test to test her underage son for alcohol while off duty before allowing him to drive, which was cited as admitted from her son and his girlfriend to the Noblesville officer.
On March 5, Detective Dan Roudebush reportedly met with Noblesville Detective Sgt. Tim Hendricks to obtain copies of video files created by body cameras worn by Noblesville Officers during the investigation involving Trump’s son. An official complaint was filed by the Noblesville Police Department.
The document stated that Trump’s son and his girlfriend were visiting Trump to learn how to care for her animals as she was soon leaving for vacation, and she allegedly denied providing alcoholic beverages to her son. Trump reportedly related that she had been at the neighbor’s house, and she did not know her son consumed alcohol until she returned and observed her son with a beer, which she “believes he may have gotten the beer from another person who was at her house.” According to the document, Trump requested her son to stay at her house, which he denied, and she allegedly admitted to providing the breathalyzer test to confirm that he had only consumed one beer.
Trump stated that she was allegedly requested to take a polygraph test about the incident. The document stated that “during the investigation, Deputy Trump was untruthful or withheld information during 2 interviews and failed a detection of deception test.”
On April 4, West Lafayette Police Officer Aaron Thompson reportedly conducted the polygraph examination, and he allegedly reported that Trump failed the exam. According to the document, “Officer Thompson further stated that during the post-test interview, Deputy Trump changed her statement. Deputy Trump stated she had given both her son, Blake, and his girlfriend, ‘Tess,’ alcohol, even making ‘Tess’ drinks in the past.” The document further claimed that Trump stated that she was intoxicated on the night in question, but she further denied providing the alcohol directly for the two underage adults.
The document stated that when a law enforcement agency is notified of cases such as that involving Trump where there was “information that challenges the credibility of one of their employees who may testify in criminal cases,” the allegations must be reported to the Prosecutor for consideration.
The document further claimed that the internal investigation led to the criminal investigation “prompted by videos and pictures posted on two different social media sites that suggested that Deputy Trump may have been being compensated for videos, work and advertising products tied to her position as a Clinton County Sheriff’s Deputy and K9 Handler.” The document stated that Trump was not compensated for the actions, but it did claim that Trump “received products in exchange for promoting such product.” The document claimed that Trump was in her Deputy uniform and commonly included Tiko in the posts.
On May 22, according to the document, Detective Jon Greiner opened a criminal investigation in Trump for possibly committing the crime of “official misconduct.”
On May 31, Trump was allegedly informed that she was under criminal investigation, which was followed by her losing her partner, K9 Tiko. Trump claimed that 56 elapsed before she was informed that she was under investigation for Official Misconduct, a Level 6 Felony. The filed document stated that the Sheriff’s Office was notified on Sept. 6 that the investigation against Trump had concluded by Special Prosecutor Mark Delgado. The Prosecutor’s Office stated that no violations of criminal law were found.
The filing for the preferred charges state that “Deputy Melissa Trump failed to adhere to expectations and has violated several rules and regulations of the Clinton County Sheriff’s Merit Board, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, and has violated Indiana law.”
The document alleged that Trump knowingly violated the Clinton County Sheriff’s Merit Board Rules, Regulations and Clinton County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Policy Manual and Indiana law on March 1, March 14 and April 4.
The document stated that Trump was accused of violating the Merit Board rules and regulations of “conduct unbecoming to an officer,” “conformance to laws,” “testimony,” “individual obligations and duties of all personnel” and “truthfulness.” The document further stated that she was accused of Clinton County Sheriff’s Office law enforcement policy manual items under sections of “administrative investigations,” “outside employment and outside overtime,” “badges, patches and identification,” “speech, expression and social networking” and “causes for discipline.”
Trump claimed that following the Prosecutor’s Office’s notification that charges would not be filed, she “was asked if (she) wanted to resign, and these allegations would be dropped against (her).” Trump stated that she would resign if she was able to keep K9 Tiko. Following the alleged declining of her ability to keep the canine, she reportedly offered to purchase him, but her offer was allegedly denied.
Trump released her reasoning behind the request:
Tiko was purchased from FM K9 for $6,000, over 3 years ago. He is over 4 years old. He has been placed in three homes since me and has been assigned to a new handler. Tiko bit the new handler on their first day of training, sending the handler to the hospital to receive several stitches.
I think it is only fair to let Tiko live out his life where he belongs, with me. I am willing to purchase Tiko to allow the department to have funding for the new handler to purchase a new dog that he can properly bond with.
Trump further explained her reasoning behind her push to keep Tiko.
As a dedicated law enforcement officer, I have dutifully served alongside my excellent K9 Tiko partner for several years for the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.
Our bond runs deep, intensified by the shared experiences, challenging missions and the countless hours we’ve spent together.
He has been more than a partner; he has been my constant companion and a part of my family. However, he has been taken away from me, his home and has since been placed in three different homes.
The current policy does not permit Deputies to purchase their K9. Trump created a Change.org petition to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and Indiana Governor Eric Holmes in an attempt to gain signatures to “Allow Officer to Pruchase and Bring Home Sheriff K9 Tiko.” As of Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 5:30 p.m., the petition has 1,391 signatures.
The public hearing is set to occur tomorrow, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. at the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office at 301 E. Walnut St. in Frankfort where Sheriff Rich Kelly will present his charges of the violation of Clinton County Merit Board Rules against Deputy Melissa Trump. According to reports, the Sheriff is requesting the termination of Trump due to the violations, and all parties will have legal representation to hear their cases.
Community members may witness the hearing by visiting the department at the Harrison Street entrance and requesting to be buzzed in. The hearing will occur in the basement public training room.
