INDIANAPOLIS — Another Marion County constable has been arrested in Indianapolis.
Deputy constable Telesavalas Siggers, with the Center Township Constable's Office, was arrested by Indianapolis police, who seized a handgun from him after learning he was prohibited to carry due to two criminal convictions.
According to court records, police learned of Siggers' previous convictions and employment with the constable's office during "an unrelated case."
After searching through his criminal history, police found that Siggers had a felony battery conviction from 2003 and a domestic battery conviction from 2016, meaning he was not legally allowed to carry a handgun.
A detective had been conducting surveillance of Siggers' address and saw him carrying a police tactical vest Feb. 17, according to the court records. Three days later, detectives set up surveillance again and observed him carrying a handgun. Officers later took him into custody, and a Glock 22 handgun was recovered from a holster on his right side.
The court records show that Siggers was aware of his previous convictions, but he said he thought the charges were "dropped off once he was sworn in as a Center Township deputy constable."
The Center Township Constable's Office says Siggers was hired before Denise Hatch took office as constable more than a year ago.
This arrest is the latest trouble from the Center Township Constable's Office. Hatch was recently arrested for official misconduct, assisting a criminal, resisting arrest and theft in two different cases.
In one case, Hatch allegedly came to a traffic stop where Deputy Constable Regans was being arrested in October for having a firearm as a convicted violent felon.
Court documents allege Hatch tried to open the rear passenger doors of an IMPD police car as an officer was interviewing Regans.
"Due to the false accusations, I have been unjustly stripped of my right to carry a firearm, placing my life in grave danger as a law enforcement officer," Hatch said.
She also said she has been stripped of her income.
"I entered this office with a steadfast commitment to fight corruption and serve the people who elected me," Hatch said. "Yet, instead of support, I have faced relentless opposition and targeted attacks from the city and county."
The constable's office said in-depth background checks on current deputies started this month and will finish Sunday.
"That is the number one focus right now is to make sure that people who should have law enforcement powers are the only people employed," said Lt. Leonard Cummings, with the Center Township Constable's Office. "People who do have the authority and right to carry a firearm are the only people employed, and anyone that doesn’t have the right to be a law enforcement officer, or has powers federally, or carry a firearm, will no longer be employed, and they will never be hired."
Hatch said in the past, they were denied access to such reports.
The constable's office said they hope they can one day receive the same training and be given the same resources as other law enforcement agencies in the area.
"We’re actually out there taking guns off the street. We’re arresting people that have warrants, we’re protecting apartment complexes that have high crime," Cummings said. "We’re out there serving the community just like IMPD is."
Hatch is due back in Marion County Court next week.