UPDATE: SBPD officer under investigation submits letter of resignation
JULY 22 UPDATE: The South Bend Police Department has confirmed that embattled officer Rico Butler submitted a letter of resignation on July 1 and that the acceptance of his resignation will now be on the agenda for the next merit board meeting scheduled for Aug. 5.
Butler's resignation will only be officially recognized should the board vote to accept it.
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She added that his employment status will be an agenda item at the next Police Merit Board meeting.
ORIGINAL STORY: SOUTH BEND, Ind. -– A South Bend Police Officer's future with the department is uncertain after criminal charges against him were dismissed.
28-year-old Rico Butler, who was charged in March 2024 with two counts of child seduction involving a 17-year-old girl, had those charges officially dropped last week.
Tuesday Afternoon, Butler appeared at the South Bend Police Merit Board meeting.
The Board, recently took over disciplinary oversight of the department in March, and was faced with three options laid out by state code.
Either, approve back pay, deny it, or delay the decision pending further information. In a unanimous vote, the board chose the third option, deferring any final decision until it receives the full results of SBPD’s internal investigation, launched after the criminal case ended on June 24th.
A South Bend police attorney addressed the board, making the department’s stance clear.
"It is not automatic that you must receive back pay after a criminal case is dismissed," said Kylie Connell, attorney for the South Bend Police Department. "It is within the discretion of the board... It is the police department’s position that the board not grant back pay."
“The vote has been taken, and we will defer until we get additional information, probably, hopefully, by the next meeting,” said Dan Jones, the board president.
ABC57 reached out to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office for comment, but officials there declined.
As of now, Butler remains on leave, and a decision on his employment status and any possible compensation will likely come at the next Police Merit Board meeting, when Chief Scott Ruszkowski presents a final recommendation.