FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — Allen County Sheriff Troy Hershberger is asking the county’s Sheriff Merit Board to fire Cpl. Benjamin Fries over several alleged comments involving deadly force and officer-involved shootings.
According to 21Alive, Hershberger filed a petition Sept. 28 seeking Fries’ termination for alleged immoral conduct. The petition outlines four separate incidents reported by coworkers.
In one incident, Fries allegedly joked during an on-duty lunch in August about not having shot anyone with his new firearm. Six officers who were present reportedly confirmed hearing the comment. The petition says Fries acknowledged making the statement and described it as “shop talk” and a joke.
Fries was involved in a December 2024 police shooting in Huntertown in which an armed man was killed. The Allen County Prosecutor’s Office later determined the use of deadly force was justified.
The petition also alleges Fries made comments following a SWAT training operation in May suggesting officers could come to his shift if they wanted to be involved in a shooting. Hershberger wrote that using an officer-involved shooting as the subject of a joke was inappropriate, particularly because Fries is a supervisor with influence over newer officers.
A third allegation involves a 2025 SWAT training conference, where Fries allegedly made a comment comparing his previous police shooting with another officer’s shooting. Fries told investigators he did not remember making the comment and denied that he would have said it, according to the petition.
The fourth allegation stems from a National Night Out event in August. Fries allegedly discussed ammunition and its effects on a person while speaking in front of adults and children. Fries reportedly told investigators he did not remember making the specific comments but acknowledged a conversation about ammunition took place.
Hershberger is asking the Merit Board to dismiss Fries following a public hearing. A hearing date has not yet been announced.
Fries joined the Allen County Sheriff’s Department full time in 2011, became a member of the SWAT team in 2021 and was promoted to corporal later that year.
