(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte County official wants people to be able to blow the whistle without fear of retaliation.  LaPorte County Commissioner Joe Haney says he is working on developing a policy to protect whistleblowers.

Haney, a Republican, was elected to his first term on the three-member governing body in November.  Recently, Haney appealed to the La Porte County government's current and former employees to come forward with any negative experiences they might have encountered from dirty politics.

Haney, along with newly elected Republican LaPorte County Auditor Tim Stabosz, has alleged County Attorney Shaw Friedman has influence over decisions by elected officials.  Friedman, claiming defamation of character, has filed a civil lawsuit seeking unspecified damages against Stabosz for some of his remarks.

Haney said he would present a proposed policy protecting whistleblowers possibly as soon as the next La Porte County Commissioners meeting on March 17.  “I am going to make this a top priority in the next week and a half here to get this done,” he said.