TOP STORIES
May 31, 2017 at 3:13 p.m.
Longtime Deputy, Detective Enters Sheriff Race
By David [emailprotected]
In a news release issued Tuesday by Spangle, he said he wants to move the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department forward and brings with him a “wide range of skills developed through law enforcement training and experience, precinct committeeman, as well as board directorship and serving as a township trustee.”
The Kosciusko County Republican Party will hold a caucus to replace Aaron Rovenstine at 7 p.m. June 21 in the old county courthouse, 100 W. Center St., Warsaw. Former Warsaw Police Department detective Jordan Foreman announced his bid for sheriff last week.
Rovenstine was sentenced May 23 to one year of probation and 250 hours of community service on a single count of intimidation. As a result, he was legally removed from office.
A second-generation law enforcement officer – Spangle’s father is currently in his 35th year of law enforcement – Spangle, 39, has served as a deputy sheriff in Kosciusko County for the past 15 years. He began his career 18 years ago as a patrolman with the city of Rochester.
After graduating from the law enforcement academy and serving three years in Rochester, Spangle was hired as a KCSD deputy. He said he has served the department in different capacities, first as a patrol deputy before becoming the school resource officer at Tippecanoe Valley High School.
After nearly two years as an SRO, Spangle accepted the position he currently holds as a detective and KCSD’s only crime scene technician. He has served the department in that capacity for the past 10 years.
Spangle sought out different training opportunities to be most effective in that role, including certification by the state as a medicolegal death investigator and deputy coroner.
“This training was crucial for me as over the past 10 years I have been called upon to work on some of the most high-profile cases in Kosciusko County and provide expert witness testimony in many of those cases,” Spangle said.
In 2013 he was promoted to sergeant, and named the director of the Kosciusko County Crime Stoppers program in 2015. Through that program, Spangle oversees tips received from the public, manages the program funds and oversees the payouts for those tips.
“Over the past few years, I have worked closely with the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office to expand the crime scene program with the formation of the Kosciusko County Major Crimes Task Force. Through this partnership I have obtained funding for valuable training, and purchased equipment for the recently completed evidence processing lab,” he said.
In addition to his work in law enforcement, Spangle has been the Monroe Township trustee for the past five years. During his tenure, he moved the township from a position of financial struggle in the provision of basic needs, such as fire protection, to its current position capable of adequately providing for the needs of the township, while also maintaining the lowest tax rate the township has had in a number of years, according to the news release.
As trustee, Spangle said he developed skills in managing the budget process and worked closely with both the Indiana Department of Local Government and Finance and the State Board of Accounts. As a township trustee he was elected to the board of directors, and later the vice president of Multi-Township EMS.
Spangle said, “When I joined the board, the EMS was taxpayer subsidized and losing money. Seeing the potential for competition in the ambulance service due to local hospital expansions and our emerging community, we were able to sell a taxpayer-funded service and put nearly $1.5 million of proceeds from the sale into local foundations. We did so while shifting the cost of ambulance service away from the taxpayers to such an extent that in 2019 Lutheran EMS service will not be subsidized by taxpayer dollars.”
Spangle has asked County Coroner Tony Ciriello to serve as the department’s chief deputy if Spangle is elected to sheriff.
Ciriello retired as a deputy after 18 years of service to become the chief of Syracuse Police Department. He served as past president of the Indiana Chief’s Association and is on the State of Indiana’s Coroner training board.
“Together we will strive to heal the fractured relationship between the sheriff’s department and other law enforcement agencies. This will ensure that we continue to be one of the finest sheriff’s departments in the State of Indiana,” Spangle said. “I am extremely humbled and honored that Tony has accepted this role in assisting to move the department forward. I believe the two of us will work as a team to provide the leadership and community-oriented law enforcement that the citizens of Kosciusko County deserve.”
Outside of work, Spangle enjoys spending time with his wife, Sarah, and their two children, Vivienne, 6, and Max, 3.
“It is with their love and support that I take this important step forward. I am committed to moving our law enforcement community forward,” he said.
In a news release issued Tuesday by Spangle, he said he wants to move the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department forward and brings with him a “wide range of skills developed through law enforcement training and experience, precinct committeeman, as well as board directorship and serving as a township trustee.”
The Kosciusko County Republican Party will hold a caucus to replace Aaron Rovenstine at 7 p.m. June 21 in the old county courthouse, 100 W. Center St., Warsaw. Former Warsaw Police Department detective Jordan Foreman announced his bid for sheriff last week.
Rovenstine was sentenced May 23 to one year of probation and 250 hours of community service on a single count of intimidation. As a result, he was legally removed from office.
A second-generation law enforcement officer – Spangle’s father is currently in his 35th year of law enforcement – Spangle, 39, has served as a deputy sheriff in Kosciusko County for the past 15 years. He began his career 18 years ago as a patrolman with the city of Rochester.
After graduating from the law enforcement academy and serving three years in Rochester, Spangle was hired as a KCSD deputy. He said he has served the department in different capacities, first as a patrol deputy before becoming the school resource officer at Tippecanoe Valley High School.
After nearly two years as an SRO, Spangle accepted the position he currently holds as a detective and KCSD’s only crime scene technician. He has served the department in that capacity for the past 10 years.
Spangle sought out different training opportunities to be most effective in that role, including certification by the state as a medicolegal death investigator and deputy coroner.
“This training was crucial for me as over the past 10 years I have been called upon to work on some of the most high-profile cases in Kosciusko County and provide expert witness testimony in many of those cases,” Spangle said.
In 2013 he was promoted to sergeant, and named the director of the Kosciusko County Crime Stoppers program in 2015. Through that program, Spangle oversees tips received from the public, manages the program funds and oversees the payouts for those tips.
“Over the past few years, I have worked closely with the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office to expand the crime scene program with the formation of the Kosciusko County Major Crimes Task Force. Through this partnership I have obtained funding for valuable training, and purchased equipment for the recently completed evidence processing lab,” he said.
In addition to his work in law enforcement, Spangle has been the Monroe Township trustee for the past five years. During his tenure, he moved the township from a position of financial struggle in the provision of basic needs, such as fire protection, to its current position capable of adequately providing for the needs of the township, while also maintaining the lowest tax rate the township has had in a number of years, according to the news release.
As trustee, Spangle said he developed skills in managing the budget process and worked closely with both the Indiana Department of Local Government and Finance and the State Board of Accounts. As a township trustee he was elected to the board of directors, and later the vice president of Multi-Township EMS.
Spangle said, “When I joined the board, the EMS was taxpayer subsidized and losing money. Seeing the potential for competition in the ambulance service due to local hospital expansions and our emerging community, we were able to sell a taxpayer-funded service and put nearly $1.5 million of proceeds from the sale into local foundations. We did so while shifting the cost of ambulance service away from the taxpayers to such an extent that in 2019 Lutheran EMS service will not be subsidized by taxpayer dollars.”
Spangle has asked County Coroner Tony Ciriello to serve as the department’s chief deputy if Spangle is elected to sheriff.
Ciriello retired as a deputy after 18 years of service to become the chief of Syracuse Police Department. He served as past president of the Indiana Chief’s Association and is on the State of Indiana’s Coroner training board.
“Together we will strive to heal the fractured relationship between the sheriff’s department and other law enforcement agencies. This will ensure that we continue to be one of the finest sheriff’s departments in the State of Indiana,” Spangle said. “I am extremely humbled and honored that Tony has accepted this role in assisting to move the department forward. I believe the two of us will work as a team to provide the leadership and community-oriented law enforcement that the citizens of Kosciusko County deserve.”
Outside of work, Spangle enjoys spending time with his wife, Sarah, and their two children, Vivienne, 6, and Max, 3.
“It is with their love and support that I take this important step forward. I am committed to moving our law enforcement community forward,” he said.
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