INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Marion County’s Center Township Constable was arrested and faces felony charges following an incident on Sunday.

Online court records show Constable Denise Paul Hatch, 64, was arrested for felony official misconduct. She also faces misdemeanor charges of unlawful carrying of a handgun and invasion of privacy.

A probable cause obtained by News 8 says that Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were patrolling in the 1700 block of North Lafayette Road sometime Saturday when they saw Hatch wearing a full constable uniform and carrying a holstered Glock.

Hatch was not allowed to carry a handgun as part of the conditions of her pending criminal case from earlier in the year.

In February, the constable was formally charged with five different crimes, including two felony charges of official misconduct, a felony of attempted assisting a criminal, and misdemeanors of theft, and attempting to resist law enforcement.

In the theft incident, Hatch was arrested after she attempted to return a rotten bag of produce to a grocery store. When store staff refused to accept the produce, court documents say Hatch walked out with freshly bagged produce, setting off the store alarm.

She was arrested for the produce incident.

After seeing Hatch carrying a gun, police continued to surveil her until “she could be confronted safely.”

Around 11:40 p.m. Saturday, other IMPD officers pulled over Hatch in the 800 block of West 16th Street. Court documents say she was still in full uniform and wearing a constable badge around her neck. She also still had a gun in her holster.

Additional officers were called to the scene around 12:30 a.m. and read Hatch her Miranda rights. Court documents say Hatch’s first response was “unintelligible,” before saying “‘no statement,’ followed by a directed expletive.”

She was then taken into custody.

Hatch was listed as an inmate in the Marion County jail on Monday afternoon. Court records showed that she is being held without bond. Hatch was scheduled for a court hearing Tuesday.

Center Township Small Claims Court Judge Brenda Roper in October issued an order directing the constables of the other eight townships in Marion County to perform constable duties in Center Township until further notice. Roper confirmed to News 8 Monday afternoon that her order remains in effect.

News 8’s Garrett Bergquist contributed to this report.

Statement

“The Center Township Constable’s Office is aware of the arrest of Constable Hatch, and is currently gathering information regarding this matter. The Office is dedicated to serving the public lawfully in her absence until this matter is resolved.”

– Lt. Leonard Cummings of the Center Township Constable’s Office

Related coverage

• Marion County’s Center Township constable charged with 5 crimes
• Center Township constable: ‘IMPD officer tried to kill me’; IMPD has a different view of the incident
• Marion County’s Center Township constable accused of contempt of court
• Deputies rebuff constable’s attempt to arrest Marion County township employees
• Center Township constable says officer impersonation arrest led to court confrontation