An off-duty Goshen police officer was arrested for OWI early Friday morning with two passengers in the vehicle.
WNDU reports the 24-year-old Brody Brown was pulled over shortly before 2 a.m. in the 23000 block of US 33 on a vehicle that was in the vicinity of where an officer heard what sounded like gun shots.
Brown was arrested on preliminary misdemeanor charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
He’s been with the Goshen Police Department since 2016 but was not on duty at the time. The two passengers in the vehicle were also officers– one from Goshen and one from the Elkhart Police Department.
The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting an investigation, and the two Goshen officers will be placed on administrative leave.
Goshen Mayor Jeremy Stutsman released the following statement Friday morning–
To the Community of Goshen:
There was an unfortunate incident which occurred last night involving off-duty officers from the Goshen Police Department and Elkhart Police Department. I was immediately contacted by Chief Jose’ Miller and briefed on the circumstances surrounding the arrest of one of the Goshen Police Department off-duty officers for operating while intoxicated. Based on the information I received from the Goshen Police Department’s Executive Staff, I agreed there were special circumstances associated with this case that necessitated an investigation by another agency.
Assistant Chief Shawn Turner reached out to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department and asked for them to investigate the incident. We did this in the interest of justice and transparency.
The arresting Officer, Jonathan McKalips, was placed in a tough situation. He showed great integrity in doing his job and making the arrest. My Administration and the Goshen Police Department will be following the progress of this investigation closely. The Goshen off-duty officers, both the officer arrested and the passenger of the vehicle, have been placed on administrative leave until we have further information to review.
Since the investigation has been outsourced to another agency, we will be unable to provide further information until a thorough investigation has been completed. We know there will be questions surrounding this incident, but to protect the integrity of the investigation, these questions should be directed to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department.
I want the Community of Goshen to know that both Chief Miller and I take this situation very seriously. Goshen expects the highest level of integrity from our officers. While I am very disappointed with the choices made by the two Goshen off-duty officers, I am proud of the Goshen Police Department for initiating the actions being taken to deal with this situation.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Stutsman
