GREENFIELD — A Greenfield Police Department officer will not face criminal charges but will instead remain on paid leave while his supervisors finish an internal investigation following an incident with an intoxicated woman.
Cpl. Justin Jackson, who in an affidavit was described as striking the woman in the face/head area during an altercation at Hancock Regional Hospital, has not been back to work since the incident in late August.
Prosecutor Brent Eaton said that after reviewing evidence from an investigation by the Indiana State Police, he concluded there was not enough evidence to charge Jackson with a crime. The evidence, Eaton said, included interviews with hospital employees; sheriff’s deputies who were dealing with the unruly, intoxicated woman at the hospital; Jackson and other members of GPD; and the woman. In addition, the evidence included audio and video recordings of the woman. The prosecutor’s office had been reviewing the evidence since the state police presented it on Oct. 2, Eaton said.
“This office does not take a position as to if the actions by Officer Jackson were appropriate and consistent with the standards the City of Greenfield has for law enforcement,” Eaton said in a news release.
Eaton declined to comment further, citing the ongoing criminal case against the woman, Sierra Gigure, 23, Indianapolis, who is facing several charges — including battery on a police officer — after a traffic stop late on the night of Aug. 22.
Now that a determination has been made to forego charges, Eaton said, it will be up to GPD officials to determine whether Jackson will face any disciplinary action from the department.
“That is a personnel decision that is firmly in the purview of Mayor Chuck Fewell and Police Chief Jeff Rasche,” Eaton said. “I have full faith and confidence in their leadership on that issue.”
GPD had requested the state police to investigate the incident, during which Gigure, whom deputies had taken to the hospital for a blood draw for a toxicology test, became violent. At one point, she slipped a restraint and swung her hand, striking Jackson. As Gigure flailed, Jackson “then threw a punch towards Gigure’s face/head,” said the sheriff’s department affidavit filed in support of charges against Gigure.
The GPD officer, who Eaton said was in uniform, apparently had come to the hospital emergency room to assist deputies who were trying to control Gigure. Eaton noted it’s not unusual for agencies to assist each other in that way, although Jackson had been told by sheriff’s deputies after he arrived not to talk to Gigure.
GPD’s deputy chief, Matt Holland, said in a news release that the department’s investigation was put on hold while the state police looked into the altercation. With that inquiry complete, GPD officials will resume their internal investigation into whether any departmental policies or procedures were violated. Until then, Jackson will remain on paid administrative leave, Holland said.
Gigure is facing several charges from the incident, including a Level 6 felony charge of battery on a public safety officer and five misdemeanor charges. She failed multiple field sobriety tests, the affidavit said.
Court documents indicated a $2,000 cash bond was set. Records show she is no longer in the county jail; she has a pretrial conference slated for Dec. 6 in Hancock County Superior Court 2 in front of Judge Dan Marshall.
