HUNTINGTON, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) – Indiana’s NewsCenter was first to tell you that a Huntington detective, who admitted to viewing pornographic material and inappropriately touching himself while on the job, will go back to work.

Indiana’s NewsCenter has now uncovered that this is not the first time an incident like this has taken place.

“I believe it's a total embarrassment for our community,” former Huntington Mayor Terry Abbett said.

In June Huntington Police Chief Thomas Emely recommended detective Melbourne Hunnicutt be fired and put him on un-paid suspension accusing him of using department computers to access pornographic websites.

Thursday, Mayor Steve Updike and Shirley Powell with the Board of Public Works and Safety announced Hunnicutt will return to work.

“I believe they are infringing on the taxpayers by looking at this stuff and doing those kind of things while they're being paid on duty to protect and serve,” Abbett said.

Terry Abbett served as mayor of Huntington for eight years prior to Updike. He says during his administration, a police officer was found viewing inappropriate material. He says he wanted him fired.

“The recommendations from the city attorneys at the time that our pornography and internet policies were not strong enough and so we could not do anything about it,” Abbett said. “And so I believe at the Board of Public Works meeting that it was changed to a no or zero tolerance policy on pornography and Internet exchanges.”

Mayor Updike says he believes in second chances and that's why he is allowing Hunnicutt to return.

City Council President Erv Ebersole shares Abbett's disappointment.

“It was beyond a second chance situation. To me, if a person was using a city taxpayer computer for an item like looking up eBay that may deserve a second chance,” Ebersole said. “A situation like this and the depth of it probably shouldn't have gotten a second chance.”

Some community members have the same thoughts.

“To be a person that runs a community that says oh I'm just a little soft hearted, excuse me, that should have never happened,” Jim House said. “He should have been discharged and fired.”

“I believe our community will suffer on the actions taken this week,” Abbett said.

Hunnicutt will return January 15th if he has completed counseling and gets a statement from a professional stating he is fit to return.

Among other things, Hunnicutt must admit the charges are true and accurate and releases all claims against the city of Huntington. He will return as a patrolman, not a detective. He will be on probation for two years, during which he can't use the Internet while on duty and has no seniority rights. He has to comply with a last-chance discipline agreement and write a letter of apology to the police department.

Hunnicutt and Updike could not be reached Friday.

We will continue to look into this story and bring you more when we have it.

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