Board approves promotion, SWAT pay and administrative-leave placement in police personnel update
June 12, 2026 | Hammond City, Lake County, Indiana
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The Hammond City Board of Public Works and Safety approved several police personnel actions submitted by Chief Jeffrey Long, including promoting Officer Michael Gallardo to first-class patrolman effective June 26, 2026, placing an officer on administrative leave effective May 26, 2026, and granting SWAT specialty pay to Officers Chris Elkins and Alex Mindetta effective May 27, 2026.
The request appeared in correspondence read into the record by staff; a board member moved to approve the chief’s recommendations and the motion passed by voice vote. The correspondence also referenced disciplinary action related to the matter; the board’s action on the day was limited to approving the personnel recommendations reflected in the written request.
Why it matters: Personnel moves and administrative-leave placements affect department staffing and public trust; specialist pay (such as SWAT premiums) affects compensation budgets and unit staffing. The board’s approval allows payroll and administrative steps to proceed, and the placement on administrative leave signals an internal personnel or investigatory step without further public detail on the record.
Board action and next steps: Staff recorded the approvals and indicated payroll and administrative processes will follow. No additional public hearing on these specific personnel items was scheduled in the meeting record.
Quote: "We received a request from Chief Jeffrey Long to promote Officer Michael Gallardo and to implement related administrative actions," a staff member read into the record before the board voted to approve the measures.
The meeting record does not provide further detail about the disciplinary matter or the reason for the administrative-leave placement.
The request appeared in correspondence read into the record by staff; a board member moved to approve the chief’s recommendations and the motion passed by voice vote. The correspondence also referenced disciplinary action related to the matter; the board’s action on the day was limited to approving the personnel recommendations reflected in the written request.
Why it matters: Personnel moves and administrative-leave placements affect department staffing and public trust; specialist pay (such as SWAT premiums) affects compensation budgets and unit staffing. The board’s approval allows payroll and administrative steps to proceed, and the placement on administrative leave signals an internal personnel or investigatory step without further public detail on the record.
Board action and next steps: Staff recorded the approvals and indicated payroll and administrative processes will follow. No additional public hearing on these specific personnel items was scheduled in the meeting record.
Quote: "We received a request from Chief Jeffrey Long to promote Officer Michael Gallardo and to implement related administrative actions," a staff member read into the record before the board voted to approve the measures.
The meeting record does not provide further detail about the disciplinary matter or the reason for the administrative-leave placement.
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