BROOKLYN RAINES | STAFF REPORTER

Andrew Ryan, a Butler University Police Department captain, was granted conditional driving privileges at a pre-trial conference on Sept. 23.

Ryan was arrested on Sept. 8 after failing two sobriety tests, which were taken after a car crash Ryan was involved in on the Eastside of Indianapolis. Ryan’s BAC was .27.

Ryan was not on duty at the time and he was not driving a BUPD car. Ryan is still employed with BUPD but was removed from his position as assistant chief of police.

Ryan declined the Collegian’s request for an interview.

Chief of Staff Benjamin Hunter wrote in an email to the Collegian that whenever a personnel matter gains public attention the university takes different factors into consideration to determine its response. These considerations, Hunter said, include the nature and severity of the situation, the connection to the university and the employee’s history.

“As with all personnel matters the university will render fair and compassionate discipline, if warranted, when something detrimental is brought to our attention,” Hunter said. “The university will neither disclose nor publicly discuss the outcome of such decisions.”

In the midst of the trial, Hunter said he is confident Ryan can fulfill his assigned duties.

Some students are upset that Ryan got to return to his job after the incident.

Sophomore criminology and sociology major Jaquell Hamelin said she is upset with the fact that Ryan is still employed with BUPD.

“I find it funny how he’s back to work,” Hamelin said. “BUPD holds the students to a really high standard, and this year they are very strict on party regulations and students drinking. Yet your head officer has been caught endangering people’s lives. He put the public at risk and dishonored the badge and dishonored a whole code of conduct.”

First-year international business major Jayne Schnedl said she  believes measures need to be taken if it is found in Ryan’s trial that he was driving three times the legal limit. Schnedl said she believes Ryan set a bad example for students by not following the law, especially since his job is to encourage students to follow laws.

Senior communication sciences and disorders major Jessica Nichols said she does not feel Ryan deserves his job back with BUPD.
“He should know as a cop that’s something that is very dangerous to not only him, but to other drivers on the road,” Nichols said. “To have this story get out and then to say that the cop gets his job back, especially when he was gone he got paid leave, he got a lot of perks for going against the law which is what he’s suppose to try and support and represent.”

Ryan has another scheduled pre-trial conference on Oct. 28.

NOTE: This story was updated on Oct. 14 to correct errors. Ryan is a captain in the administrative division of BUPD, and the trial is not ongoing. The Collegian regrets these errors.