City-County Council member arrested, charged with disorderly conduct and more

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Officers arrested a City-County Council member on Sunday after they said he approached a burglary investigation, made a scene and resisted arrest.

Joseph Simpson, a Ninth District Democrat, walked up to police Sunday night in the 4500 block of Guilford Avenue as officers were knocking on the door of a home reported to be burglarized, according to an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department report.

Simpson told officers he knew the neighbor and wanted to make sure everyone was OK. But investigators repeatedly told Simpson they were looking into a burglary in progress and needed him to leave the area.

The police report explains a verbal exchange between Simpson and officers, during which Simpson identified himself as a City-County Council member and said: “This is a public sidewalk. This is a public street, and I pay taxes on all of it, and I pay your salary, too."

Although an officer pulled a stun gun out, it wasn’t used on Simpson, according to the report. The officer pulled it out after Simpson pulled his hands away from being handcuffed.

Officers were eventually able to handcuff Simpson, and he apologized, saying, “I messed up.”

Simpson was arrested on preliminary charges of interfering with a firefighter, resisting law enforcement and disorderly conduct.

The Marion County prosecutor's office has appointed a special prosecutor in the case to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Later Monday, the Marion County Republican Party chairman called for Simpson's removal from the council's Public Safety Committee and Law Enforcement Study Commission.

"Our police officers have a tough enough job without such disrespect and interference," Kyle Walker said in a statement.