Common council approves South Bend Police Department merit system

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The South Bend common council voted six to three, passing the establishment of a ‘South Bend’ version of a merit board. They also decided five members will sit on that board at Monday evening’s meeting.

One way or another, a merit board was happening, after a state law went into effect on May 4th that required one to be made in South Bend.

The council could either choose to adopt a version of the merit system that was developed by city leaders and the FOP or allow the standard state model to take effect on January 1st if they did not decide to go with the ‘South Bend version’.