The Lake County Sheriff’s Police Merit Board on Tuesday held a public meeting, but the Post-Tribune was denied entry.
The monthly meeting was held at the Lake County Sheriff’s Department in a training room. The training room’s door was locked. A reporter knocked several times, but no one responded.
The board did not have a previously scheduled executive session, which typically requires 48 hours advance notice, under the state’s Open Door Law. An executive session means the public can be excluded in order to discuss topics like collective bargaining, litigation, and job performance evaluations.
In an email, a Post-Tribune reporter asked Raquel Guerrero with the sheriff’s department to confirm the room number, and she did not respond. Guerrero also did not respond to a request for comment about the meeting and if it was closed to the public.
Lake County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Pam Jones did not provide a comment, saying that she is out of the office this week.
At the meeting, the merit board was expected to discuss a case involving Officer Zachary Norcutt. The agenda did not provide specifics of Norcutt’s case, Guerrero said in an email that she can’t provide the details.
The Post-Tribune submitted a public records request for information.
In July 2022, Norcutt was involved in a fatal crash in Gary. Norcutt’s police vehicle was driving east on 5th Avenue when it struck a silver 2005 Toyota Corolla, which was making a left turn from 5th Avenue onto southbound Colfax Street.
The driver was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene by the Lake County Coroner’s Office. Norcutt was transported to Southlake Methodist Hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Norcutt was on duty and patrolling the area at the time of the crash.
The Indiana State Police were investigating the crash and have not provided an update since July 2022.
