LAPEL — Lapel is looking for a new police officer, one who can start as soon as possible following proper training.
The status of police officers and taking care of some paperwork were some of the items discussed during a recent Lapel Town Council meeting.
Kelly Naselroad, the chief of police, told the council his police department is actively seeking a new full-time officer to replace Jon Hosier, who retired from the force.
The police department is accepting applications for the position until the end of this month.
Applications can be picked up at the Lapel Police Department, 720 Ford St., Lapel, or at Lapel Town Hall, 825 Main St. Applications will be available for pickup until Friday, Nov. 30, and must be picked up in person.
Testing on the top applicants will begin in early December. Each applicant must be at least 21, possess a valid Indiana driver’s license, pass a pre-employment drug screening, pass a background check, pass physical and written tests, participate in an interview and be a United States citizen.
While the candidate will go through training depending on experience, preferred qualifications include certified law enforcement academy graduates, those with previous law enforcement experience as reserve officers or special deputies, and those with secondary education or military experience.
In other police business, Naselroad discussed updating a tagged vehicle ordinance, which seems to be based off an 1980s or older state statute. He said it should be updated immediately.
In other business, the town council:
• Signed a new working agreement with RQAW, an engineering and architecture firm, to conduct inspections on an on-call basis. The prior agreement between the town and the firm was for a year’s worth of work and had expired.
• Discussed a road weight limit ordinance, one written a couple of years ago but read only twice in council, not a third and final time, which was required to make it law.
Recently hired town attorney Ashley Hopper plans to go back through paperwork to investigate what transpired and what needs to be done.
• Discussed basketball goals in the area, some of which have been placed in spots that are unsafe; the council decided it will create an ordinance to prevent hoops goals from being placed on streets.
