Troubled Franklin officer's cases questioned

FRANKLIN, Ind. (WISH) - There's potentially more trouble for a Franklin police officer accused of drinking on the job and giving alcohol to underage informants.

Officer Bryan Burton is also accused of having inappropriate sexual conversations with informants and going for joy-rides in confiscated cars.

The department demoted Burton and placed him on a 45-day unpaid suspension. Now, defense attorneys are questioning his credibility and they want dozens of Burton's cases to be reviewed.

"Officer Burton is not the first police officer to be suspended in this county and I'm sure he won't be the last, but we will deal with his cases on a case-by-case basis," said Johnson County Prosecutor Brad Cooper.

In a statement, Franklin Mayor Fred Paris said, "One of our biggest problems is that while we have strict standard operating procedures for our officers in uniform, undercover work is not always so black and white. Due to the unique nature of this work, Officer Burton operated in an oftentimes gray area. It is now clear that he did not receive the same kind of oversight afforded to more traditional police duties."

Paris has asked Indiana State Police to review the disciplinary actions against Burton.