Familiar name in line for new city police officer spot

Thursday, November 20, 2014

A familiar local law enforcement family name got a thumbs-up from the Greencastle Board of Works and Safety Wednesday afternoon to fill a vacancy in the City Police Department.

Brian Helmer, the 31-year-old son of Putnam County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy (and former Sheriff) Tom Helmer, was approved to fill a department vacancy created by the recent retirement of GPD Capt. Mike Hanlon.

Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE Brian Helmer (left), approved Wednesday by the Greencastle Board of Works to fill a patrolman's vacancy in the City Police Department, chats with Police Chief Tom Sutherlin after the meeting at City Hall.

City Police Chief Tom Sutherlin told the board Helmer's name was the only one the Board of Captains was putting forward to replace Hanlon, despite the captains interviewing four candidates.

GPD still has two more hirings looming in the future with Sgt. Terry Eastham due to retire in six weeks and Officer Albert Epple following suit in May.

Not only does Brian Helmer bring experience to the Greencastle department but he has already graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, so that will be both a cost and manpower savings since he otherwise would been at the academy for four months.

Another positive, Chief Sutherlin noted, is his built-in knowledge of the community, not only in locations of its streets and buildings but its general structure as well.

Brian's younger brother, Chris, formerly served as a GPD officer as well.

During questioning by the Board of Works, board member Trudy Selvia asked Helmer why he was interested in the Greencastle job rather than waiting for an opening in the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

Helmer pointed to the county's nepotism policy that would prevent his hiring until his father retires, which he said is scheduled for 2018. Even so, he said he hoped to make a career out of his hiring at GPD.

"Once I come here, I'm staying," he said. "I'll be 32 in February. My goal is to be a police officer, a patrolman, on the road. I like being on the road."

Helmer has been serving as a Clay County Sheriff's Department deputy following a short stint with the Brazil Police Department. He graduated from the Law Enforcement Academy during that Brazil tenure.

He also has jailer experience, with more than four years at the Putnam County Jail and a stint in Hendricks County.

Describing his greatest strength as "being a good listener," Helmer said he enjoys community policing and isn't the type of officer "just to sit in the police car all the time."

Mayor Sue Murray asked if a role as a detective might interest him.

"I've not really thought about it," Helmer said. "As I get older, it might be something I'm interested in."

Helmer was approved unanimously for the patrolman's position on a motion by Selvia and additional affirmative votes from Mayor Murray and Thom Morris.

He will have to qualify for PERF (the Public Employment Retirement Fund) through the city, which isn't expected to be an issue due to his prior police employment elsewhere.

"With his knowledge of the city and the streets, he can be out (patrolling) on his own very shortly," Chief Sutherlin said.

In addition to the Helmer decision, the Board of Works also:

-- Authorized Civil Engineering Consultants, Greencastle, for the engineering work on the Vine Street reconstruction portion of the Stellar Project set to begin in March 2015. Civil Engineering did the previous engineering on both the Washington Street and South Indiana Street streetscape projects. The contract maximum is $123,370.

-- Approved Jerrell Consulting and Kristy Jerrell to provide payroll verification services for whatever firm is awarded the construction work to be funded by the city's State Revolving Loan Fund loan on the water project. Maximum contract value was set at $8,750.

-- Set a special meeting for 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1 to approve preliminary documents in order to close on the SRF loan from the state on Dec. 15.

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