[IN] Aurora Police Chief Fields was allowed to resign after family domestic violence

Former Aurora Police Chief Bryan Fields

He got off light - but was not allowed to remain a law enforcement officer in Aurora.

AURORA POLICE CHIEF ISSUED NOTICE OF DISCIPLINE
December 15, 2013
[Excerpts] Aurora Police Chief Bryan Fields was arrested Sunday for domestic battery. Dearborn County officers responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at Fields' home around 4 a.m. Fields, 42, and his wife Holly, 42, were engaged in physical confrontation when police arrived... Holly Fields was transported to Dearborn County Hospital. The extent of her injuries are unknown... Bryan Fields was arrested on a preliminary charge of misdemeanor domestic battery. On Wednesday, the Board of Works for Aurora held a brief meeting, issuing a notice of discipline to Fields... Fields has been ordered to surrender any police department equipment... [Full article here]

WIFE DEFENDS AURORA POLICE CHIEF BRYAN FIELDS AFTER HIS ARREST ON DOMESTIC BATTERY CHARGES - 'HE'S A GOOD MAN. HE'S A GOOD CHIEF.'
Dec 16, 2013
[Excerpts] Following his arrest Sunday on domestic battery charges, the police chief of Aurora, Ind., is being defended by the person he’s accused of hurting: His wife. Holly Fields said what happened early Sunday morning between her and her husband, Aurora Police Chief Bryan Fields, is "simply a misunderstanding"... But the 911 call made by their son tells a different version of what happened Sunday... The son describes a violent scene and said his parents told him not to call emergency responders. “They were telling me if I called they'd say nothing happened,” the boy said. "My mom told me I'm kicked out if I call the police"... Holly may be facing charges as well. Bryan is still in the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center and is expected to appear in court Tuesday morning. [Full article here]

AURORA POLICE CHIEF ARRESTED FOLLOWING ALLEGED DOMESTIC DISPUTE
Dec 16, 2013
[Excerpts] The chief of the Aurora Police Department has been arrested. Officials said Bryan Fields was accused of roughing up his wife Sunday morning... WLWT News 5 has talked with Bryan Fields in the past when he worked for the Dearborn County special crimes unit and more recently as the Aurora police chief... [Full article here]

COURT DOCUMENT DETAILS ALTERCATION AT CHIEF'S HOME
December 18th, 2013
[Excerpts] ...The police chief [Aurora Chief of Police Bryan Fields] appeared in Dearborn Superior Court I Tuesday, where not guilty pleas were entered for charges of Domestic Battery (Class A misdemeanor) and two counts of Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury (Class A misdemeanor)... One of the couple’s two sons – ages 18 and 19 – told responding officers that he first saw inside the home Holly Fields standing over Bryan, yelling at and allegedly striking her husband in the head with her hands... The son then went outside, but soon heard a thud from inside the home and went back in. The 18-year-old son said he saw Bryan on top of the couple’s 19-year-old son, allegedly striking him with his fists. Trying to pull Bryan away from behind, Bryan threw his head back and struck the 18-year-old in the nose, causing it to bleed. In speaking with police, the 19-year-old son stated that he was in the dining room when he heard the thud from a bedroom. According to the affidavit, he told officers that he went into the bedroom to find Bryan on top of Holly striking her in the ribs with his fists. The older son pulled Bryan from his mother, at which time Bryan allegedly struck the 19-year-old in the head and tackled him to the floor where Bryan began repeatedly punching him. At about that time is when the younger son had entered the room and was allegedly head-butted by Bryan... Bryan Fields said that the incident was a misunderstanding. The affidavit noted that he did give a statement later, but what was said was not included in the affidavit... Bryan Fields was released from jail Tuesday after posting his $500 cash bond. During his court appearance, Dearborn Superior Court I Judge Jon Cleary issued no contact orders for the couple’s two sons. Fields’ next court date is a pretrial hearing on January 30. A bench trial has been tentatively scheduled for March 4... [Full article here]

BOARD: AURORA CHIEF SUSPENDED WITH PAY AFTER DOMESTIC ALTERCATION
Dec 18, 2013
[Excerpts] The Aurora Board of Public Works met in executive session Wednesday to suspend the police chief [Bryan Fields]... According to the city attorney, the board voted to suspend Fields with pay, effective immediately. Further administrative action could take place at another meeting scheduled for Dec. 26... Fields has the right to request a hearing with the board before his possible suspension. That hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9... Joshua Daugherty will serve as interim chief while Fields serves his suspension. Legal charges of domestic battery are pending against Fields. The Dearborn County prosecutor said that because of his personal relationship with the police chief, a special prosecutor will be needed to try any case against Fields. [Full article here]


AURORA POLICE CHIEF RESIGNS AFTER ARREST
Fields to step down Friday
Jan 8, 2014
[Excerpts] Aurora's chief [Bryan Fields] of police has resigned after his December arrest... "It has been a privilege to serve the city of Aurora for the past 16 years, and my decision to resign was not made lightly," Fields wrote in his resignation letter to the city... [Full article here]

FORMER POLICE CHIEF GETS SUSPENDED SENTENCE
08/17/2014
[Excerpts] Former Aurora police chief Bryan Fields pleaded guilty to one count of domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor, through a plea agreement in Dearborn Superior Court I, Friday, Aug. 8. Originally charges with three Class A misdemeanor counts, Fields pleaded guilty to battery against his stepson (1) [REDACTED], according to the joint motion in tender of conditional negotiated plea agreement signed by himself, his attorney Bob Ewbank, special prosecutor Ric Hertel, Ripley County prosecutor, and Dearborn Superior Court I Judge Jonathan N. Cleary. Fields was sentenced to 365 days incarceration with 361 days suspended and credit given for two days time served as well as good time credit, a total of four days. As part of the agreement, the "state shall not oppose a petition for expungement after one year probation and six months," said the plea agreement. Fields was required to pay $168 court costs, $50 each probation user's fee and administrative fee, and $20 monthly probation fee... In addition to allegedly punching his wife in the ribs with his fists, Fields head-butted his stepson (2) [REDACTED] and punched Cochran in the head, according to the probable cause... Bryan Fields resigned from APD effective Jan. 10, 2014. Aurora Mayor Donnie Hastings appointed then-APD Sgt. Joshua Daugherty, who had been serving as acting chief, to the chief's position... Over the years, APD has had several officers resign after they were charged with crimes... But at least two former officers resigned after they were charged with battery. Former officer Jared W. Dausch was charged with a felony and two misdemeanors stemming from an alleged domestic battery May 25, 2008, and former officer Brett "Mooch" Hamilton resigned in October 2009, six months after he was charged with battery. [Full article here]
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