Spencer cop charged with stealing prescription drugs from DEA collection canister

Decembere 19, 2022

A town of Spencer police officer is on administrative leave after his arrest Friday on charges of stealing narcotics that had been put into a locked box where citizens dispose of unused prescription drugs.

According to an Indiana State Police news release, Sgt. James Bradley Deckard, 39, from Gosport, is charged with two Level 6 felonies: official misconduct and theft. Each charge carries a possible jail sentence of six to 30 months.

Deckard has worked for the Spencer Police Department for 10 months and has 18 years of law enforcement experience, the news release said.

He was arrested early Friday and taken to the Owen County Jail, where he posted bond and was released.

The allegation states Deckard "utilized his authority to remove illegal narcotics and controlled substances from the DEA Drug Take Back Container stored within the Spencer Police Department."

Twice each year, more than 4,000 police agencies around the country participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Collection bins are available for people to drop off expired, unused or unwanted narcotics for safe disposal.

The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked. The most recent, on Oct. 29, collected 324 tons of drugs nationwide.

The quantity of drugs collected and missing in Spencer wasn't available.

ISP's Special Investigation Section looked into the Spencer situation after Spencer's police chief and Owen County Prosecutor Don Vandermoere contacted them about suspicions that a local police officer had removed drugs from secured storage.

"Upon first notice, our department immediately referred the matter to the Indiana State Police in accordance with official protocol on matters involving our own employees," Spencer Police Chief Richard Foutch said in a statement.

He placed Deckard on administrative leave until the town's public safety board can convene to consider how to proceed. "The timing of that hearing will be determined by the statutory notices required and the ability to schedule the board meeting," his statement said.

4Laura Lane, The Herald-TimesSun, December 18, 2022 at 10:07 AM PST·2 min read

A town of Spencer police officer is on administrative leave after his arrest Friday on charges of stealing narcotics that had been put into a locked box where citizens dispose of unused prescription drugs.

According to an Indiana State Police news release, Sgt. James Bradley Deckard, 39, from Gosport, is charged with two Level 6 felonies: official misconduct and theft. Each charge carries a possible jail sentence of six to 30 months.

Deckard has worked for the Spencer Police Department for 10 months and has 18 years of law enforcement experience, the news release said.

He was arrested early Friday and taken to the Owen County Jail, where he posted bond and was released.

The allegation states Deckard "utilized his authority to remove illegal narcotics and controlled substances from the DEA Drug Take Back Container stored within the Spencer Police Department."

Twice each year, more than 4,000 police agencies around the country participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Collection bins are available for people to drop off expired, unused or unwanted narcotics for safe disposal.

The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked. The most recent, on Oct. 29, collected 324 tons of drugs nationwide.

The quantity of drugs collected and missing in Spencer wasn't available.

ISP's Special Investigation Section looked into the Spencer situation after Spencer's police chief and Owen County Prosecutor Don Vandermoere contacted them about suspicions that a local police officer had removed drugs from secured storage.

"Upon first notice, our department immediately referred the matter to the Indiana State Police in accordance with official protocol on matters involving our own employees," Spencer Police Chief Richard Foutch said in a statement.

He placed Deckard on administrative leave until the town's public safety board can convene to consider how to proceed. "The timing of that hearing will be determined by the statutory notices required and the ability to schedule the board meeting," his statement said.

Foutch said no other Spencer officers are under investigation in connetion with the alleged narcotics theft.

He said that out of "respect the legal process and the integrity of the investigation," he won't be commenting on the case.