Termination papers submitted on Joseph Rodriguez
By Troy Kehoe
GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) - A Greenwood Police Officer accused
of punching another officer remained suspended late Friday, despite conditions
of a bond agreement that he would resign from his position.
Joseph Rodriguez was released on $9,000 bond late Thursday
after agreeing to enroll in an alcohol rehab program, and turn in his badge and
service weapons within 24 Hours.
But, Greenwood Police Chief John Laut told I-Team 8 that
Rodriguez had not submitted a resignation to him by late Friday. Because
Greenwood PD did not negotiate terms of the agreement, Laut said he did not
impose a timeline for Rodriguez’s resignation.
“That was negotiated with the prosecutor, and we didn’t have
input on that timeline,” he said. “So, I’ve now filed paperwork with
[Greenwood's Police] Merit Board recommending his termination.”
The Merit Board is scheduled to meet in executive session on
Monday afternoon and will consider the recommendation at that time unless
Rodriguez submits his resignation before then, Laut said.
I-Team 8's calls to Rodriguez's attorney, Brian Newcomb,
were not immediately returned Friday.
Rodriguez, 39, was off duty when he was arrested by Johnson
County Sheriff’s deputies following a disturbance at a party.
Witnesses say Rodriguez was drunk at a party in the Hickory
Stick neighborhood when he began choking his wife. When officers arrived, they
found him lying in the road. When they tried to help him up, deputies say
Rodriguez punched one deputy in the face and kicked medics.
Rodriguez faces charges of battery on two police officers,
resisting law enforcement, public intoxication, strangulation and battery
against his wife.