Center Township constable pleads guilty to official misconduct, weapons charge

INDIANAPOLIS — An embattled constable with Center Township will be removed from her post after she pleaded guilty to official misconduct.

On Tuesday, Denise Hatch pleaded guilty to an official misconduct charge, a Level 6 felony, as well as a misdemeanor charge of unlawful carry of a firearm and a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct. These were related to two separate criminal cases, according to a news release from the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office.

The sentencing states that Hatch will have no additional jail time with the guilty plea. Hatch will not be allowed to have a firearm.

This comes after Hatch was previously arrested on official misconduct and gun charges in February as well as an arrest in May for carrying a gun in violation of a judge’s order.

The February case stemmed from Hatch reportedly stealing broccoli from an Indianapolis grocery store while wearing her Constable badge, according to the release. She reportedly said at the time that “only the Sheriff could arrest her.” In May, she reportedly carried a handgun while working security in her constable uniform, which was in violation of an order from a judge.

Last month, Hatch was also charged with official misconduct after a verbal altercation with a Center Township trustee during a meeting of the Center Township Democrat Club. The state of Indiana then revoked Hatch’s bond, causing her to go back to jail after the altercation.

Hatch’s other counts have been dismissed as part of the plea agreement, including additional official misconduct charges as well as additional misdemeanor charges like invasion of privacy and theft.

Hatch and her office have long been under scrutiny. In 2023, Hatch was caught on video cursing out officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department while one of her deputy constables was being arrested. The release said that Hatch reportedly attempted to open the door of the police car where the deputy was detained. He wouldn’t be the first deputy constable in Hatch’s office to be arrested, however, with several more being charged with felonies.

This wave of arrests led to Hatch temporarily firing all her deputy constables at one point, though that did not stop those under her employment from continuing to be arrested on criminal charges.

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