Crown Point police establish lieutenant rank, approve promotions and adopt phlebotomy policy

The Board of Public Works and Safety on May 20 adopted a revised police department organizational policy to add a lieutenant rank and approved lateral promotions from sergeant to lieutenant for listed officers, an action intended to create an additional career advancement layer and clarify administrative responsibilities.

Dominic, presenting the proposal, said the change would professionalize the chain of command and that, after offsetting reductions in other promoted ranks, the reorganization produced no net budgetary impact. "When I did the math, it worked out to just about $1,000 less a year," Dominic said during the discussion. The board approved the policy and the listed promotions by voice vote.

Separately, the board adopted a law enforcement phlebotomy policy that allows the department to send officers to state‑provided training and certification to perform evidentiary blood draws in impaired‑driving investigations. Dominic explained the state has offered to "train, pay for and supply and retrain police officers to do this," and said prosecutor offices increasingly prefer evidentiary blood results rather than relying on refusal charges. The policy is a prerequisite to sending officers to the state training.

The board also approved a request to move Patrolman Ross off his 90‑day probationary status following his return from another department. The items were moved and passed on voice votes recorded as "Aye."