01-29-13 City Council Hosts Community Meet & Greet to Welcome Ron Teachman

Home Browse Search

iTN.� 7 11.t4eY 4'„ nvv 186 .v , NEWS RELEASE Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 9 A.M. C � � From: Count President Derek D. ' e Contact: 532-2200 is ident Oliver J. v' Contact: 876-6938 n . White, Health ie Safety Co mittee Chair Contact: 229-3100 ` CITY COUNCIL HOSTS COMMUNITY MEET& GREET TO WELCOME RON TEA CHMAN 61sT SOUTH BEND CHIEF OF POLICE On Thursday, February 7, 2012 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the South Bend Common Council will host a community "Meet & Greet" at the Kroc Center located at 900 West Western Avenue in Downtown South Bend. At this public event, the City Council will officially welcome Ronald Teachman, who will be officially appointed to serve as the 61st Chief of Police by the Mayor tomorrow. Police Chief designate Teachman will be the leader of the City of South Bend's 260 sworn police officers and 72 full-time civilian employees. Chief Teachman will inherit a dedicated police department which proudly serves as the "thin blue line" standing between the lawful and the lawless. Last year, due to the hard-work of the men and women serving on our South Bend Police Department, crime rates were lowered on residential burglaries, non-residential burglaries, aggravated assaults, robberies, rapes, larcenies, arson, motor vehicle theft, and larcenies, with the only crime statistic rising between 2011 and 2012 being the murder rate. Their efforts resulted in a 20% drop in overall crime statistics. Chief Teachman's extensive law enforcement background, as well as his training as a lawyer, will provide new insights and perspectives in developing programs to make South Bend even safer for our residents and businesses. The City Council is excited to work with Chief Teachman, and will be inviting him to a meeting of its Health and Public Safety Committee in the very near future. The City Council will then have the opportunity to hear first-hand his vision for the South Bend Police Department. The partnering skills which Chief Teachman has developed with federal, state, local and civilian agencies will undoubtedly enhance similar relationships locally, as our officers fight crime in South Bend on a 24/7 basis. The Council is charged oversight responsibilities in the area of public safety, and looks forward to collaborating with Chief Teachman. Additionally, in light of Indiana state law requiring that the City Council be in charge of police officer's wage and monetary fringe benefit negotiations, the Common Council will have a full-year to work closely with the new Police Chief, before such negotiations begin in 2014.