City Begins Broad Probe Into Officer Communications

After an officer-involved collision that killed a citizen, Indianapolis (Ind.) police have launched a wide-ranging investigation into all forms of officer communications, including smartphones, pagers, private two-way radios and laptops. Police officials say they want to document how officers are now using communications devices, and then establish regulations to set limits on where and when they can be used. In Feb. 2009 it was revealed that IPD officers were using their own portable radios to communicate with each other, sometimes using inappropriate language. Earlier this month a local scannerist reported hearing IPD officers using a local school district radio frequency without authorization. The officers were also using profanity on the radio channel, the scannerist claimed. Now, in the latest revelation, it’s been revealed that officer David Bisard was sending text messages on Aug. 6th to another officer within 90 seconds of a fatal crash into a group of motorcyclists. Accident investigators say Bisard was traveling 73 mph responding to assist with a non-emergency warrant service. Bisard’s text messages included jokes about food and the state fair, officials said. Read more about the investigation here.