Indiana mayor facing multiple felonies after dispute with police, reports say

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A dispute between an Indiana mayor and his city’s police department has resulted in a list of felony charges against the mayor, according to reports.

Mayor Ron Meer of Michigan City faces five felony counts of intimidation, two counts of false informing and felony misconduct, court records show.

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The dispute with the police department began after the recent arrest of Meer’s stepson on drug charges – an arrest that Meer claims was politically motivated, South Bend’s WNDU-TV reported.

Mayor Ron Meer of Michigan City, Ind. (Economic Development Corp., Michigan City)

Shortly after police Chief Mark Swistek and two assistant chiefs resigned, with Swistek alleging the mayor had ordered him to pull an unspecified number of officers out of the department’s anti-drug task force. A new police chief was named Tuesday.

After Meer was charged, the judge assigned to his case recused himself because his wife works as corporate council for the city.

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Crime has been an issue in the Michigan City mayoral election, WNDU reported.

Michigan City, with a population of about 31,000 people, is located on the south shore of Lake Michigan, near Indiana’s border with Michigan.