Three veteran police officers in East Chicago are accused of violating the public’s trust.

Prosecutors say the officers, along with eight other city employees of East Chicago, voted in an election primary but didn’t live in the city.

Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter believes there must have been others involved.

“There had to be some encouragement, at the very least, by higher ups, that there was an effort for individuals to go out and get people to vote by what ever means necessary,” he insisted.

“And, we see some of the results of that now.”

Longtime East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick narrowly won that 2003 primary, but the outcome was challenged in court by his opponent George Pabey.

Indiana’s Supreme Court eventually ordered a new election, which Pabey won.

Nearly four dozen people have been charged in connection to the scandal.