William Short, chief of police, asked the Hammond City Board of Public Works and Safety on April 17 to approve ET specialty pay for Officers Brandon Kerwin and Jesse Hamer, effective April 11, 2025, and to appoint four applicants as probationary members of the Hammond Police Department to begin a one-year probationary period effective April 17, 2025.

The chief’s correspondence listed the applicants as Christian Vasquez, Emmanuel Renee Suarez, Michael Romaine Baxton and Davante Artigo Maps Pitts. The board acknowledged the request and approved the appointments by voice; the transcript records concurrence from board members but does not show a roll-call vote.

No policy citations or additional conditions were stated in the transcript. The board did not provide further comment on staffing levels or scheduling.