Frederick
Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay wasted little time filling an important new position in her office.
Just a couple of weeks after the Bartholomew County Council authorized a full-time investigator for the prosecutor’s office, Holden-Kay announced the hiring of a highly qualified longtime local law enforcement professional, Jay Frederick.
Holden-Kay had campaigned on the need for her office to have a dedicated full-time investigator, something that 69 of Indiana’s 92 counties have. Well, make that 70 of 92 now that Bartholomew County has filled this important position.
“The investigator’s primary duties will be to coordinate the investigative activities of the office, Holden-Kay wrote in a presentation for the Bartholomew County Council,” The Republic’s Mark Webber reported recently. “Those duties involve follow-up investigations, locating witnesses, interviewing them and assisting officers in composing search warrant affidavits.
“The investigator would also promote an effective working relationship with all law enforcement agencies, provide investigative support to individual prosecutors, assist with training law enforcement personnel, and coordinate with the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Holden-Kay said.”
The council was unanimous in agreeing to fund an investigator position that we haven’t had locally in 40 years, and Holden-Kay had a few qualifications in mind for this professional. In addition to at least 10 years of law enforcement experience, she wanted someone with knowledge and experience of the legal process and document management, the Bartholomew County court system and its operations and more.
Frederick ticks all those boxes and then some.
A Bartholomew County native, he recently retired from the Columbus Police Department after serving 23 years, where he supervised the Criminal Investigations Division (CID), first as its lieutenant then later as its Captain. The CID is comprised of the department’s detective unit, the Intelligence-Led Policing Unit, and the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET).
His professional specialties include death investigations, as well as investigating crimes against children and narcotics offenses.
“Our office is absolutely thrilled to bring Jay on board,” Holden-Kay said in announcing the hiring recently. “I could not imagine a better fit for this role. The office has long been in need of a criminal investigator and I am so excited to make this a reality during my first year in office. With our current caseloads at an all-time high, Jay will no doubt have a full plate on day one, but I am confident he will do an amazing job and be a real asset to our team.”
The prosecutor’s office is getting an authority whose experience and expertise will make him an invaluable go-to resource for law enforcement officers and the prosecutor’s department in Bartholomew County.
We share Holden-Kay’s optimism that Frederick can hit the ground running. His expertise and familiarity make him an ideal choice to serve the interests of public safety and our local justice system. We wish him well.
