Code enforcement officer with felony convictions offers services for free, police say

Jamal Rodgers, 48, volunteers as New Chicago's code enforcement officer three days a week, Operational Police Chief Earl Mayo said.

Rodgers rides a town four-wheeler or drives a town car while on duty. He wears a polo shirt that says, "New Chicago code enforcement," but he doesn't carry a gun, Mayo said.

Rodgers also wears a bulletproof vest he purchased himself, according to Mayo.

"There's no law that says you can't work as a code enforcement officer if you're a convicted felon," Mayo said. 

A check of public court records showed Rodgers also has a 2004 conviction for felony criminal recklessness and was expelled from the Lake County Community Corrections Kimbrough Work Release Program before completing an 18-month sentence. 

Mayo said he ran a "Triple I" background check and did not see the criminal recklessness conviction in Rodgers' background.

Records showed Rodgers has four felony theft convictions and one felony fraud conviction between 2010 and 2020. 

In a 2010 case in Porter County, he pleaded guilty to theft as a Class D felony and received a split sentence, with all but 90 days suspended in favor of probation.

Rodgers was sentenced in January 2011 to two and a half years, all suspended in favor of probation, for fraudulently purchasing $260 in merchandise at a Hobart Foot Locker. He successfully completed probation, records show.

In December 2020, he was given an 18-month sentence, which again was suspended in favor of probation.

In a plea agreement, Rodgers admitted he stole more than $3,600 in merchandise from a Gary Menards store from October to December 2017 as part of a price-tag-switching scheme. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss two separate cases, including felony fraud and felony delivery of a false sales document, records show. Rodgers successfully completed probation.

In Porter Superior Court, Rodgers was given two and a half years of probation and 30 days of community service in December 2020 after pleading guilty to theft, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail in April 2021, after a judge granted the state's motion to revoke his probation.

Mayo said Rodgers owns a landscaping company and offers services to those older than 55 if they're unable to come into compliance after he issues a violation for tall grass. Rodgers also issues violations for accumulated trash, he said.

"He brought a crew to town and paid for it out of his own pocket," Mayo said. "From my understanding, he's a millionaire."

Rodgers has never charged the town or its residents anything and recently donated raffle items for a town event for children, he said.

"All he's ever done so far was give back to this community," Mayo said.

Rodgers doesn't have access to the police records system. When residents don't comply with violations written by Rodgers, he refers them to police, who can write a ticket, Mayo said.

"He doesn't want anything," he said. "He will cut the grass for you."

Rodgers' most recent traffic infraction, filed in July, showed he has a Gary address.

Mayo said a number of the town's police officers, who also are volunteers, do not live in New Chicago.

"I don't understand why he would have to live here to volunteer to help out," Mayo said.

When asked if residents should be concerned about a code enforcement officer who has been convicted of several crimes of dishonesty, Mayo said Rodgers completed his sentences.

"I could see him as a person who's giving back to the community, not taking," he said. "How long are we going to convict him of this crime? The state puts a minimum and maximum to charges. How much more are you going to convict him, or anyone?"