The Terre Haute City Council approved two items affecting the Terre Haute Police Department on July 10: a transfer and appropriation of $27,401.23 to purchase office furnishings for a newly hired social worker and to modernize ticketing equipment, and a change to the department salary ordinance to create a civilian public‑records and litigation coordinator.

Devin Huebner, systems administrator for the Terre Haute Police Department, said the department bought matching furniture for private offices used by a new social worker and other staff — an invoice of $7,103.81 to RJE Business Interiors was attached — and modernized ticketing/programming equipment from Cardinal Tracking Inc., with an invoice and first‑year maintenance totaling $20,297.42. The council approved a transfer from the abandoned‑vehicle nonreverting fund and an additional appropriation for the continuing‑education fund to cover the combined $27,401.23.

Separately, the council approved a special ordinance to add a full‑time public‑records and litigation coordinator in the police administrative staff. Police leadership said the growth of body‑camera and dash‑camera requests and the time required for redactions and legal review created an ongoing workload the department needs to manage. Councilmembers questioned staffing, training and whether the role requires legal expertise; the department said the position would coordinate requests, prepare redactions and work with city legal before release.

The moves were presented as operational upgrades and transparency improvements; the department said no additional funding was required in the current year for the civilian position because it replaces a previously budgeted secretarial role. Councilors asked about the ticketing system’s capabilities and whether parking ticket workflows would change; staff said the purchased equipment modernizes the matron‑handled ticketing workflow and includes an annual maintenance fee.

Actions taken: the appropriation transfer and purchase were approved and the ordinance establishing the civilian public‑records position passed.