Three months after reports surfaced of criminal complaints, and a month after the Indiana State Police Department finished it’s investigation, charges have still not been filed against Terre Haute police officer Trevor Singer. A public records request for the ISP incident report was denied because the report included a “criminal investigation.”
Rumors continue to swirl but details of the complaint filed against Singer are not known for certain. The ISP public relations department and Vigo County prosecutor’s office have both remained silent about what criminal actions may have transpired.
This news comes after several other incidents of local law enforcement officers not being disciplined for misconduct. As previously reported, no officers received punishments for the death of Richard Patterson, when he escaped police custody due to officer negligence last summer.
Questions have recently been raised again about the motor vehicle accident that resulted in the death of local resident Jack Beegle when his motorcycle struck a Sheriff’s Deputy cruiser. A witness to the accident had reported at the time that it appeared the officer intentionally pulled out in front of Beegle.
A public records request has been filed for the officer’s dash camera footage from the accident. Many have also questioned whether THPD officer Jesse Chambers would have faced disciplinary actions if door bell footage of him repeatedly kicking a family’s pet had not caused public outrage.
Residents have pointed to biased police oversight and close relationships between prosecutor Terry Modesitt, the Chief of Police Shawn Keen, and Sheriff John Plasse, as possible reasons for an overall lack of accountability. Both Modesitt and Plasse are up for re-election in tomorrow’s race.
Terre Haute Vice News 