MERIT BOARD

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Merit Board is a body organized by Indiana Code 36-8-10-3.  It removes any possibility that a Sheriff could replace police officers on the department due to their political affiliation or without just cause.  Any full-time Sheriff merit officer is a merit officer under this law, and thus a member of the merit system.

The Merit Board consists of five members.  The Sheriff appoints three members, and the two remaining members are elected by a majority vote of the merit officers under procedures established by the Sheriff’s Merit Board.  No active merit officer may serve on the board.

The Merit Board holds regular monthly meetings throughout the year to transact business that pertains to the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office.  The Merit Board does not have any general day-to-day authority or responsibility over the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office.  The Merit Board does have jurisdiction over:  Final approval of hiring, firing, demotion or serious disciplinary action (any suspension without pay over 15 days) of any merit officer unless on probation (within their first year).  In cases of firing, demotion and serious discipline of a non-probationary merit officer, a fair public hearing can be conducted at the request of a merit officer or the Sheriff.

The Merit Board also oversees the pension and disability plans for all the merit officers.  Jail officers and other civilian employees are not considered merit officers under this law. The Merit Board has no jurisdiction over hiring, firing, demotions or discipline of any of these Sheriff’s employees.

The Merit System holds the Sheriff accountable for keeping standards high in hiring and provides for fair and equitable treatment of officers.  Regardless of whom the Sheriff is at any given time, this system of accountability, transparency, and fairness provides and keeps integrity on serious personnel issues in the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office.