Ind. Chief Accused of Inappropriate Conduct

May 26, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS -- A central Indiana fire chief is under investigation, accused of engaging in inappropriate conduct while on the job. Kenny VanSlyke is the fire chief in Madison Township in Morgan County and a fire investigator in Wayne Township in Marion County, 6News' Kara Kenney reported. He was placed on administrative leave in Wayne Township after he and a woman were asked to leave a movie theater parking lot while he was on duty one day, officials said.

INDIANAPOLIS --

A central Indiana fire chief is under investigation, accused of engaging in inappropriate conduct while on the job.

Kenny VanSlyke is the fire chief in Madison Township in Morgan County and a fire investigator in Wayne Township in Marion County, 6News' Kara Kenney reported.

He was placed on administrative leave in Wayne Township after he and a woman were asked to leave a movie theater parking lot while he was on duty one day, officials said.

"It was obvious activity that the security guard was not comfortable with, didn't feel they needed to be doing on the property and asked them to leave," said Wayne Township Fire Department Capt. Mike Pruitt.

Pruitt said he could not confirm if the situation was sexual in nature.

VanSlyke was not at his chief job in Madison Township on Tuesday. Neither was his wife, Clerk Becky VanSlyke, or the township trustee.

When Kenney reached Kenny VanSlyke by phone Tuesday afternoon, he denied that anything inappropriate happened with the woman.

He said he was meeting her to drop off a phone while on his lunch break and that the woman was never in his township-issued vehicle.

VanSlyke's assistant chief in Madison County told 6News he hadn't heard about the allegations.

"What happens in Wayne Township, happens in Wayne Township. This is Madison Township. It's a separate investigation," said Madison Township Assistant Chief Eric Brown.

Gregg Terhune, a Madison Township taxpayer, said he's disgusted by the allegations.

"He's supposed to be one of the community leaders, the leader of our fire department. It's one of the most significant positions in the township government," he said. "He should be setting an example."

VanSlyke said he has contacted an attorney to handle the allegations.

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