IMPD names Ciesielski police chief

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will soon have a new leader. But the way that rank and file learned of the change isn't sitting well with some.

New Chief Paul Ciesielski said he was humbled by the announcement. Current Chief Michael Spears said he hopes to continue to serve Indianapolis. But others said they would have liked to have learned about the leadership changes from the Public Safety Director not the media.

Local Fraternal Order of Police President William Owensby heard he had a new boss on the news.

"Yeah it was, I think it was a very poor, handled very poorly... certainly to hear about through the media before you hear about through the head cheese is not a good way to do business," said Owensby.

Dr. Frank Straub started as Indianapolis' Public Safety Director January 4, 2010.

"One of the things we did is we conducted a department wide survey asking all members of the department at all ranks civilian and uniform to identify the challenges they thought were confronting the department, the positives, the negatives and things that they would like to see to move forward," said Dr. Straub.

Monday, current Police Chief Michael Spears welcomed IMPD’s most recent recruit class, while future Police Chief Paul Ciesielski sat nearby representing the Northwest District, where he's been commander since 2007.

The current Assistant Chief John Conley was also in attendance and right behind him was the man who will replace him as Assistant Chief Darryl Pierce.

Chief Michael Spears spoke to 24-Hour News 8 about the announcement.

"Well, I am still going to continue to be a member of the police department. I am still going to work hard every day we have a department full of wonderful men and women who are going to carry on and do a great job for our city and for our police department. And I look forward to being a part of that," said Chief Spears.

Future Chief, Northwest District Commander Paul Ciesielski also reacted, "Really right now I just want to thank Chief Spears for the service he's given. Not only for the last five years as chief but for his whole career. He's been a mentor to me. I met him the very first day in this very building of my career. He was a sergeant here at the academy. He's been a role model to me and my goal is to continue the good things that he has done the last five years and move this department forward."

Chief Spears and Commander Ciesielski have something in common; they both have served as public information officers for the department in the media relations department.

Ciesielski has been with the department since 1986 and is an FBI academy graduate.

The transition isn't official yet. In fact, Mayor Greg Ballard and Public Safety Director Frank Straub have a news conference scheduled for Thursday. That's when they will announce sweeping changes for IMPD.