COLUMBUS, Ind. – Detectives with the Indiana State Police (ISP) arrested two Columbus Police Department (CPD) officers on Friday and charged them with ghost employment, official misconduct, and theft.
After its own internal investigation which began in November 2018, CPD asked the Indiana State Police to check into allegations of possible criminal activity against two of its employees.
An ISP inquiry determined that Lt. Dan Meister and Sgt. Ron May allegedly provided security at Columbus Regional Health (CRH) while on duty with CPD. Between February 2015 and August 2018, investigators say Meister and May worked numerous overlapping shifts for both the Columbus Police Department and CRH. Supposedly, Meister was paid by CPD and the hospital for the same hours 52 different times and May on 62 separate occasions.
Meister and May were arrested without incident on Friday afternoon and taken to Bartholomew County Jail. Both were charged with official misconduct, ghost employment, and theft. They will soon face initial hearings in Bartholomew County Court.
“In all circumstances, our officers are held to the highest of standards, and are expected to follow the law,” said CPD Chief Michael Richardson. “We will hold our officers accountable to these high standards so every member of the public can maintain confidence in the officers who serve them.”
