Elkhart hearing gets underway against detective possibly facing termination

ELKHART, Ind. - An Elkhart detective is facing termination. Detective Joy Phillips is accused of improperly handling investigatory information. 

A disciplinary hearing started today, with 8 hours of testimony from officers. 

Detective Phillips’ attorney Jeffrey McQuary said in an opening statement that Phillips never had the opportunity to tell her side of the story, before being placed on administrative leave in November.   

She claims its retaliation for refusing to sign an affidavit for a search warrant she believed was unconstitutional because it lacked probable cause. 

Then, Phillips claims, officers barricaded her inside the department for 45 minutes because the department didn’t want her to leave with a personal recording device.    

Indiana State Police investigated possible charges of criminal confinement, but Elkhart County prosecutor Vicki Becker did not take up the case.

Phillips has requested a special prosecutor to review possible charges. 

When ABC57 reached out to the Elkhart police department and city of Elkhart, both refused to comment on the situation until disciplinary proceedings finish. 

McQuary says today's hearing and the accusations behind it, are part of a pattern of targeted harassment and retaliation.   

Day two of the merit hearing will be held tomorrow.