YORKTOWN — The Yorktown Town Marshal on Thursday said the Police Department will continue to participate in the Delaware County SWAT team after previously indicating it would withdraw.
Town Marshal Shane Ginnan had said the Indiana State Police SWAT team would respond to any calls for assistance in Yorktown instead — but in a public letter said he was under the misunderstanding that it could respond within 30 minutes.
"I take full responsibility for all the misunderstandings and confusion this has caused our Town. In my preliminary conversation with the ISP commander, I had thought I understood that he could have a SWAT team here within 30 minutes but, as has now become clear through him, I was wrong. I made this decision in good faith for our residents and in no shape or form had ill intent," Ginnan wrote.
On Tuesday, Ginnan wrote in a letter to Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner that the department would withdraw, "effective immediately." He followed up with a Facebook post to the department's Facebook page Wednesday which explained the decision came as a result of a shortage of officers.
"Due to a current officer shortage (a personnel issue and an injury) it was imperative that we not weaken our current responsiveness or burden our remaining force with additional duties and expenses so long as we could do so without opening our residents to undue risk," Ginnan wrote in the post.
Skinner responded with a letter of his own, in which he urged Ginnan to reconsider. Skinner argued the decision to withdraw the department from the team would have a negative impact on public safety.
Skinner was not immediately available for comment Thursday.
Ginnan continued, "This has been a rocky start. I will live up to the expectations of the Town's people who believed that as Marshal, I could facilitate progress and community interaction. At this moment, I will admit I have made mistakes; this is on me.
"'When an officer violates the public's trust, it damages the entire agency and takes us time to repair or reputation and rebuilt trust.' I used
those words recently and believe them to be just as valid right now. I am fully committed to the forward progress of Yorktown and the enhancements of the officers and their tools to provide efficient and effective service for the citizens of Yorktown."
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