(AP) The mayor says he was the anonymous donor who put up half the money for a $50,000 reward offer made in a newspaper advertisement that led to the suspension of two police detectives.

Thomas McDermott Jr. said Thursday he put up the money but the city did not approve the ad. The other half of the reward money was raised by the Hammond Fraternal Order of Police.

Detective Capt. Michael Solan and Detective Sgt. Wendy Gardner were suspended because of the ad itself and because its content made it appear to represent the city of Hammond, said attorney Joseph O'Connor, the city counsel. FOP President Tim Walczak disputed they had been suspended, however.

"They are on paid administrative leave pending an investigation," Walczak said.

McDermott said it appeared Gardner may be blameless.

"She had nothing to do with the content of this ad," he said.

McDermott said Solan was given written orders in January not to go forward with an ad that combines the reward offer for the killer of Patrolman Lawrence Pucalik with events related to the arrests of Larry Mayes and James Hill in a separate case.

The city and Solan are facing a $9 million judgment won by Mayes in a wrongful conviction lawsuit. Solan was a chief investigator in the robbery-rape case for which Mayes was convicted in 1982.

"We felt the ad was mostly attacking Larry Mayes, and we have a pending appeal," McDermott said. "We specifically told Captain Solan, 'Do not print that ad.'"

Solan, meanwhile, said he had the approval of Police Chief Brian Miller to pay for the ad.

In negotiating the cost of the ad, Solan said he was instructed to provide the newspaper with the name and cell phone number of Sgt. Michael Jorden, the department's chief of staff, as the contact for payment.

Solan said the bill for the ad was to be paid out of the police department budget.

"Why would they pay for an ad they didn't sanction?" Solan said.

A telephone message seeking comment was left Friday for Miller by The Associated Press.