ELWOOD, Ind. -- Elwood's police chief on Thursday denied allegations that he stalked a female police officer.
Chief Toby Barker was suspended this week after Officer Kara Jo Horseman, 21, obtained a protective order against him. Her request for the order described three incidents in which she said he stalked her over a period longer than a month.
Barker, 46, told
RTV6's Eric Weisfeld that he and Horseman had been good friends and went to eat several times together at restaurants.
"(When) she had some problems, she leaned on me," Barker (pictured, left) said. "If I had problems, I talked to her. We were good friends. As far as the stalking (allegations), I don't understand that at all."
In her court filing, Horseman described how, starting in early September, Barker began following her around at work, tried to get her into his car and once pounded on the door to her home late at night.
On that occasion, she said he was "extremely enraged" when she answered the door. "He stated that he was mad because I wouldn't answer my phone," the order said.
Horseman said Barker's unwanted attention forced her to change residences in the city about 40 miles north of Indianapolis repeatedly because she feared for her safety.
Mayor Merrill Taylor suspended Barker with pay, stripped him of his city-issued weapons, badge, patrol car and keys to the police department after the professional misconduct complaint was filed.
Following a four-hour meeting on Wednesday, City Attorney Tom Beeman said Barker remained under suspension with pay and that he and Taylor were investigating Barker, who previously was an Indiana state trooper for 19 years.
Copyright 2005 by TheIndyChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Chief: I Didn't Stalk Woman
