Carter Pushes Back After Governor Removes Sheriff from Training Board
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter is pushing back after Gov. Mike Braun removed Dubois County Sheriff Tom Kleinhelter from a state law enforcement training board and suggested Carter was reacting out of frustration over no longer holding the job.
Kleinhelter faces charges of false informing and official misconduct. Investigators say he made false statements during a 2024 theft and fraud investigation.
Carter addressed the situation on WIBC’s “Hammer and Nigel,” saying the case should have been handled sooner.
“He finally did the right thing associated with the client investigation and some training board, but he’s had 15 months to do what he should’ve done,” Carter said. “I’m upset because I’m not the superintendent anymore.”
Carter also defended the intent behind removing Kleinhelter from the board.
“Accountability for law enforcement should be very real. It should not be a fake,” he said, adding the process “should have happened” earlier under previous state leadership.
He criticized how the case moved through the system after he left office, pointing to earlier internal review efforts.
“There was a very detailed investigation… we found wrongdoing,” Carter said, referencing a 2024 inquiry tied to commissary funds. “After the meeting, the case went away.”
On Monday, the state training board considered a negotiated deal that would have allowed Kleinhelter to resign while keeping his certification through 2027. After nearly an hour of debate, members rejected the proposal in a 9-4 vote and sent the matter back for further review.
Carter also addressed Braun’s comments tying his reaction to his departure from office.
“I got sideways with Mike during the qualified immunity issue after George Floyd,” Carter said. “Those conversations were not comfortable… I’ve never had a very good relationship with him.”
