Enoch Frank, a Central Indiana law-enforcement officer with more than 25 years of experience, is facing one felony strangulation charge and four misdemeanor battery and domestic-battery counts, according to Fox 59. The case was filed Thursday, and an arrest warrant was issued. No trial date was reported.
The charges stem from allegations by Frank’s former girlfriend, who told investigators that he assaulted her during their 14-month relationship. Fox 59 reported that a probable-cause affidavit describes separate alleged incidents, including one in which she said Frank restricted her breathing and another in which she reported being kicked and struck. Those claims are allegations, not findings of guilt. Frank has denied causing her injuries and denied that domestic violence occurred.
What could happen beyond the criminal case
The criminal prosecution is not the only process that could affect Frank’s law-enforcement status. The Indiana Law Enforcement Academy says the Law Enforcement Training Board may revoke, suspend, modify or restrict an officer’s basic certification for conduct rising to the level of a felony or for certain misdemeanor-level conduct indicating that an officer may be dangerous, violent or prone to violating the law. The agency says that authority can apply even when an officer is not criminally charged. The certification process is separate from deciding whether Frank is guilty of the pending charges.
Indiana’s courts also make civil protection orders available in cases involving domestic or family violence, sexual assault, stalking or harassment, according to the Indiana Judicial Branch. The state’s Protection Order Registry links court-issued protection and no-contact orders with Indiana and national law-enforcement databases, the Indiana Office of Judicial Administration says. The existence of those options does not establish whether a protection order was sought or issued in Frank’s case.
Other Indiana officer cases provide limited comparison
Other Indiana cases show that domestic-violence allegations involving police officers can lead to separate employment consequences, but they do not predict the outcome of Frank’s case. In one Indianapolis matter, WRTV reported that IMPD officer Michael Price faced domestic-battery allegations involving a romantic partner and a child and was suspended with a recommendation for termination. The allegations and disciplinary action were separate from Frank’s case.
In an earlier example, Fox 59 reported on Jan. 26, 2015, that IMPD officer Johnathan Burger faced preliminary domestic-battery and battery-with-injury charges and was placed on administrative leave pending an internal review. These examples document different allegations, agencies and procedural outcomes; they are not evidence that such cases are becoming more frequent.
People seeking confidential help in Indiana can contact the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s 24-hour hotline at 1-800-332-7385, a resource listed by the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women. The available information does not establish the final facts of the allegations against Frank, whether he has entered a plea or whether any administrative action has been taken.
