State Official Placed On Administrative Leave

INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Mitch Daniels has placed the head of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute on paid administrative leave at the request of the state's inspector general, who is investigating her, 6News' Norman Cox reported Wednesday.

The inspector general's office initially declined to comment on the nature of the investigation of Heather Bolejack, but in response to an open-records request, the office told 6News that the probe began with a February request to review the institute's contracts.

State Democrats this year questioned the institute's spending and requested records on Bolejack's expense reimbursement, travel and petty cash, but the inspector general's office hasn't said whether the probe is linked to the Democrats' request.

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The inspector general's office investigates potential ethics violations by state employees. Inspector General David Thomas said he hopes to have results of an investigation within the next two weeks.

"No one likes taking this kind of action, but public confidence can only be maintained by thorough and aggressive inquiry," Daniels spokeswoman Jane Jankowski said. "This is why the governor urged creation of the inspector general and supports his work, wherever it might lead."

Daniels, a Republican, appointed Bolejack to head the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute in April 2005. The agency handles more than $60 million in grants that are distributed to Indiana communities, overseeing state planning for criminal justice, traffic safety and victim services, and administers state money to carry out long-range strategies.

During a tour of the Rockville Correctional Facility on Wednesday, Daniels mostly declined to discuss the investigation.

"I will just point out that we're the ones looking at it," Daniels said. "It's exactly why I wanted an inspector general, so that any conceivable question gets investigated and dealt with promptly and fairly."

Bolejack had worked as a litigation associate for the Indianapolis law firms of Ice Miller and Bingham McHale. At the time of her appointment, Daniels said he wanted her to focus much of the institute's efforts on initiatives to stop the spread of methamphetamine use.