ELWOOD — A mediator has been hired to help work out any problems the Fraternal Order of Police in Elwood might be having with the mayor's office.
Mayor Don Tucker had asked the city's board of works to approve a contract for Mike Crook. He is the police chief in Cumberland, and Tucker said he has an extensive history of working on relationships between police departments, FOPs and cities and towns.
Tucker said in a prepared statement Wednesday that public safety is vital to the health of any community and chief among them is a good relationship between the mayor's office and the police department.
"I believe it is my responsibility to re-establish our relationship with the FOP," Tucker said. "Before I was appointed to this position, I was concerned as a former police officer and concerned citizen when the FOP released a vote of no confidence in the previous administration."
FOP Lodge 82, the Elwood police union, issued of vote of no confidence in former Mayor Ron Arnold in 2013 after former police chief Sam Hanna told officers Arnold had a list of officers he wanted fired. Also around that time, Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings instructed the police department to cease investigating Arnold's family.
Tucker said he wants to repair the relationship, which is why he is bringing in Crook. He said Crook will be in Elwood for about five days and will host meetings with the FOP and the mayor's office.
Police Chief Phil Caldwell said trying to repair the relationship is a good idea.
"I think it's good, any leader wants a good relationship with any union that represents a certain body of employees," Caldwell said.
Caldwell said there was a rift between the FOP and the Arnold administration, but he said things have improved since Tucker took over.
"I've had an open-door policy with the mayor and he's had an open-door policy with me; we're good," Caldwell said. "I think he (Tucker) is just trying to let the public know that he's working with the police department and the FOP."
Tucker, who is a member of the board of works, joined Ken Badger and Roger Towner for a unanimous vote to bring in Crook and pay him $500.