SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The director of South Bend’s Community Police Review Board will not be stepping down despite calls from the city’s mayor to do so.
Josh Reynolds is a former police officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. During his time with IMPD, he was suspended seven times, which is too many for Mayor James Mueller. When the information about his suspensions came to light, Mueller called for Reynolds to step down from the review board.
During a virtual town hall Monday evening, Reynolds was asked whether he intends to abide by Mueller’s request.
“If I did step down, then the creation of this office really comes to a screeching halt,” Reynolds said. “I will continue to stay in the office, so long as I have the support of Clerk Jones and the support of the community.”
South Bend city clerk Dawn Jones is the one who hired Reynolds for the job. She too has said she will not be firing Reynolds per Mueller’s request. Reynolds’s latest assertion that he won’t resign is a double down from a letter he sent in mid-July.
Though Mueller said he’s thankful for Reynolds opening up about his record in the letter, it still doesn’t change his mind that he feels Reynolds should resign.
Reynolds is staying focused on the job, in the meantime.
“I feel this is a very sacred mission that we are trying to achieve here,” Reynolds said. “I think it’s important that we not delay this any further. We want to have this independent and fair and transparent office so that we can show if something is wrong, we can show that. If something is right, we can show that as well.”
After the town hall Monday, Mayor James Mueller’s office reiterated the mayor’s wishes for Reynolds to step down.
