EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Cpl. Mike Winters -- the Evansville
Police Department officer accused of grabbing an Evansville student’s crotch --
will appear before the Police Merit Commission on Monday to appeal his
suspension and Police Chief Billy Bolin’s recommendation that he be fired.
The incident reportedly happened in May at the Academy of
Innovative Studies.
In a June interview with the Courier & Press , the
16-year-old student, whose name will be made public during today’s hearing,
said Winters, who was working off-duty at the school, approached him and a
group of other students who were sharing stories about fights.
At some point in the conversation, the student, who was
seated, said Winters got into his face and asked, “Well, what would you do if
somebody did this?” The student said Winters then thrust his hand into his
crotch aggressively.
The student said he did not feel the action was sexual in
nature.
The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. alerted the
Evansville Police Department of the matter on May 17. A criminal investigation
was launched, but dropped after the family -- at the suggestion of the student
-- didn’t pursue criminal charges.
However, an internal investigation was launched after the
mother of the student filed a complaint with the department.
Winters was placed on leave and, after the investigation,
Bolin suspended Winters for 21 days without pay and recommended that the Merit
Commission fire Winters.
Winters is still suspended, but his pay was reinstated on
June 14 because of contractual obligations that say an officer can be suspended
without pay for only 21 days without a hearing.
The commissioners will review the testimony from both sides
during the hearing and information gathered during the department’s internal
investigation in determining whether to follow the chief’s recommendation or
administer some other punishment.
Winters first joined the police department on Sept. 10,
1982.
During Winters’ 30-year career, he has received two written
reprimands and has been suspended a total of eight days, excluding his recent
suspension, according to his personnel file obtained by the Courier &
Press.
In May 2000, Winters was suspended five days for neglect of
duty after failing to file a report or notify an investigator about a
12-year-old girl Winters spoke with who said she was raped.
According the personnel file, Winters advised the girl and
her mother to call back with more information about the suspect. A year later,
they returned to a file a report.