IMPD officers accused of harming trafficking victim in complaint board meeting
This brief is adapted from notes taken by Documenters Anita Jackson, Franklin Bennett and Margo Kelly, who covered the November Citizens’ Police Complaint Board. 📝 Read more about what happened.
INDIANAPOLIS (MIRROR INDY) — The Citizens’ Police Complaint Board reviewed two cases against Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officers at the Nov. 8 meeting.
First complaint: Misconduct during an undercover operation
The board reviewed complaints against Sgt. Julian Wilkerson, Detective Tiffany Mastin and Detective Kristen Hartman.
Christine Anderson alleged that Wilkerson touched her clothed pubic area while he was undercover during a prostitution sting. Anderson had previously been arrested for prostitution and it was determined that she was a victim of human trafficking, referred to Unconditonalindy for services.
The board was told that Wilkerson grabbed Anderson to protect his undercover identity.
Anderson also alleged that officers saw a false soliciting advertisement with her information. The investigation determined that Anderson’s trafficker set up the ad.
She said Hartman contacted service providers to revoke her services. She alleged that Hartman expected her to lose her resource services.
“She did not keep me safe. She did not provide protection. She did not expect service providers to stand by me. I am safe because of them and in spite of her.”
Anderson accused Mastin of speaking to her in a demeaning way, which she said caused her to lose trust in the department.
Anderson said officers aren’t trained to deal with victims of trauma.
“Despite service standards at the federal level indicating that prostitution stings and arrests are unethical, immoral and should no longer be done, these officers refused to conform to those standards, costing our state funding,” Anderson said.
The board voted to exonerate the allegations against Wilkerson and sustain the allegations against Hartman and Mastin.
Second complaint: Seizing personal property
The second complaint was against Detective John Howard and Sgt. Aaron Schlesinger. Former IMPD officer Glen Schmidt accused the officers of removing personal police equipment during a domestic violence disturbance call in which he was arrested.
He accused the officers of removing commemorative badges, a flashlight, handcuffs, guns and more.
Schmidt said he was “forced to resign” after this incident after serving more than 18 years with IMPD. He said the charges were dropped. Schmidt is currently an officer with the Marian University Police Department.
The board accepted the Internal Affairs rulings: the first as exonerated, the second as sustained and the third as exonerated.
What’s next?
The next Citizens’ Police Complaint Board meeting is 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Martindale Brightwood Library.