Evansville Police Merit Commission members on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, approved routine meeting business, advanced several candidates toward hiring, concurred with departmental awards recommendations and recorded the resignation of a sworn officer.

The commission approved the minutes of its Sept. 22, 2025, meeting and voted to pay claims totaling $2,715.89. Commissioners also accepted a certified eligibility list from the September hiring process and voted to advance four applicants (IDs 25087, 25144, 25140 and 25158) while removing applicant 25165 from consideration. The commission acknowledged a promotion in the department — Drew Murray was promoted to sergeant effective Oct. 2, 2025 — and concurred with Chief Smith’s recommendations for employee and citizen awards for actions occurring Sept. 21, 2025. The commission recorded the resignation of Officer Luke Charles Smith, BAS number 1618, effective Oct. 19, 2025; the resignation notice said he served nine months and six days with the Evansville Police Department.

Why it matters: the commission’s votes move candidates forward in the hiring process and formalize departmental recognitions; the resignation will change staffing considerations for the department as it continues to process new hires.

Minutes and claims were approved early in the meeting after a motion and second were made and recorded. Commissioners DJ Thompson, Denise Johnson Kinkade and James Sutton voted in favor of the claims payment. The certified eligibility list from the September hiring process was accepted by the same recorded votes.

On applicants, the commission voted to move forward candidates with file numbers 25087, 25144, 25140 and 25158; the motion passed with Commissioners DJ Thompson, Denise Johnson Kinkade and James Sutton recorded as voting yes. The commission later moved to remove applicant 25165 from consideration; that motion also passed with the same recorded votes.

Commissioners noted a department recommendation from Chief Smith for a Serious Injury Award (recommended quantity not fully specified in the transcript) and for Gold Merit Awards to be issued to officers Sam Taylor, Seth Gorman, Corey Statz, Corey Trueblood and Sergeant Blake Hollins for actions on Sept. 21, 2025. The commission also moved to issue a Citizen Award to Amber Fairchild for actions on Sept. 21, 2025. The meeting transcript records motions to concur with Chief Smith’s recommendations and subsequent seconds; the motions were carried.

The resignation of Officer Luke Charles Smith, BAS number 1618, effective Oct. 19, 2025, was read into the record; his length of service was listed as nine months and six days. The commission said it would send the civilian award recipient a certificate and invite her to the ceremony.

The meeting concluded with scheduling: the next meeting was set for Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at 4:15 p.m., and the commission moved to adjourn.

Votes at a glance:
- Approve minutes (Sept. 22, 2025): approved; recorded votes — DJ Thompson: yes; Denise Johnson Kinkade: yes; James Sutton: yes.
- Approve claims, $2,715.89: approved; recorded votes — DJ Thompson: yes; Denise Johnson Kinkade: yes; James Sutton: yes.
- Accept certified eligibility list (September hiring): approved; recorded votes — DJ Thompson: yes; Denise Johnson Kinkade: yes; James Sutton: yes.
- Advance applicants 25087, 25144, 25140, 25158: approved; recorded votes — DJ Thompson: yes; Denise Johnson Kinkade: yes; James Sutton: yes.
- Remove applicant 25165 from consideration: approved; recorded votes — DJ Thompson: yes; Denise Johnson Kinkade: yes; James Sutton: yes.
- Concur with Chief Smith’s awards recommendations (Gold Merit Awards and Citizen Award): approved (motion and second recorded; formal roll-call not explicitly recorded in transcript).
- Adjourn meeting: approved; recorded votes — DJ Thompson: yes; James Sutton: yes.

The transcript contains no references to local or state statutes, budget reallocations, changes to department policy or claimed outside approvals tied to these actions. The commission’s votes were procedural and largely unanimous among present commissioners. The meeting minutes, claims approval and hiring actions will be reflected in the commission’s administrative records.