Demotion embarrasses ex-assistant chief

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - For the first time the highest ranking officer demoted in the wake of the IMPD Officer David Bisard crash is speaking out. At age 59 and with over 30 years on the department, he says he is not only humiliated, but hurt. He also offers more detail into his conversations with the chief that day.

According to the report on the case released by IMPD, Bisard was driving drunk in his patrol car when he collided with motorcycles, causing one person to die and two others to suffer serious injuries.

Former Assistant Police Chief Darryl Pierce says it is wrong he was demoted in the wake of the deadly crash.

"I have been humiliated and people made to think my leadership abilities and my character should be brought under question,” Pierce said. “They have been brought under question."

Wanting to get his story out, he sat down with all media Thursday in a news conference saying he is suing the police chief, the mayor and the public safety director for slander, loss of income and civil rights violations.

"It has caused discourse within my family and for my friends,” Pierce said. “It's kind of embarrassing to walk into a store and they recognize you. You can see the question in their mind. They know who you are. They question in their mind, ‘Were you part of the corruption that was alleged to have happened at the scene?’ So it has been very embarrassing."

I-Team 8 months ago obtained his phone records from that day showing the number of calls he made to the chief. There were eight in the first hour. Pierce explains, "My phone records will show I was on scene 30 minutes and out of the 30 minutes I am talking to him at least 18 minutes. So, I kept him abreast of everything that was going on."

His attorney is also the former public safety director.

"The public safety director (Frank Straub) acknowledged he knew someone had died, yet he said the chief didn't keep him advised of the gravity,” attorney Robert Turner said. “Once you reach the point of death, I don't know how much more serious a situation can get."

As for the phone calls, Pierce says the chief repeatedly reminded him of a 1 p.m. mandatory meeting in the chief’s office. Pierce says there was no option but to attend the meeting.

“At the end of that conversation, he said, ‘Don't be late,’” Pierce said. “When he tells you don't be late, that is a direct order. I don't care how you look at it."

Some officers I-Team 8 spoke with say Pierce was demoted over politics and not being in the camp of Public Safety Director Frank Straub. They feel the Bisard case was used as an excuse. Pierce says he would like to have his job back, but not for the two men who demoted him down to a lieutenant. Two other top commanders were also demoted in the fallout of the Bisard crash.

City attorneys told I-Team 8 they couldn't comment on the lawsuit because they haven’t seen it yet.

I-Team 8 has also learned some officers are calling into question the FOP paying the legal bills of IMPD Officer David Bisard, who killed one person when he plowed into motorcyclists in August. Some didn't know the vote was happening last week so it will be discussed at the January FOP meeting. Officers could ask for a re-vote.