Plowman resigns from police force, city-county council

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Amid two investigations and facing an ethics complaint, an IMPD officer and City-County Councillor has resigned.

For weeks 24-Hour News 8 reported Lincoln Plowman, a 23-year IMPD veteran, was put on leave and was facing an internal investigation, but we had no details about that investigation.

Monday, Plowman met with his boss, Indianapolis Public Safety Director Dr. Frank Straub.

24-Hour News 8 caught Plowman just moments before he left for a meeting with Straub. Plowman wouldn't talk about the investigation.

At a news conference Monday, Straub said, "The federal government initiated the investigation. They made us aware of the fact that they were conducting an investigation. They asked us for our assistance and our cooperation in the investigation. We provided our cooperation we provided our assistance."

It was the US Attorney's Office and the FBI who informed Straub that they were investigating Plowman. IMPD immediately put Plowman on leave and started their own internal investigation.

"I am completely confident that in the course of doing our investigation we looked at the issues that were relevant and important for us to look at concerning his behavior and his employment in the IMPD." said Straub.

But now the internal investigation is over because, Monday, Plowman resigned from the police department.

Plowman also resigned from the City-County Council. Council President Ryan Vaughn said Plowman submitted a one-sentence resignation letter Monday, a day after fellow councillor Angela Mansfield filed an ethics complaint against Plowman for not telling the public why he is under investigation.

24-Hour News 8 called a local FBI representative, who says they will not comment on an on-going investigation.

Straub also refused to comment on the investigation. 24-Hour News 8 asked Straub if he had been questioned by federal authorities regarding this investigation and he said “no.” We also asked Council President Ryan Vaughn the same question he too said “no.”