Source: WISH-TV
***WISH-TV contributed to this story***
INDIANAPOLIS–The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will not report undocumented immigrants to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if they are pulled over. That was the message from IMPD Chief Randal Taylor Tuesday night at a town hall hosted by IMPD at St. Monica Catholic Church.
“I will tell you, for the most part, if our officers were to stop you and you didn’t have a driver’s license, you may get a ticket but you’re probably not going to go to jail,” said Taylor.
Taylor said his agency does not have an active relationship with ICE and does not send reports to them.
Less than 5% of officers with IMPD consider themselves Hispanic. Taylor says he’s trying to improve those numbers.
“Different immigrants have different fears or misconceptions of law enforcement, depending on what country they might be from. This opportunity is great to have conversations with the community,” said IMPD Sergeant Randy Diaz to WISH-TV.
Not everyone feels that way, though.
“I would say that Indianapolis is one of the most welcoming cities here in the state of Indiana. I would say I feel safe here and I know that IMPD is doing their job, but I know that even when you see a police officer as a regular citizen it can be intimidating,” said Alicia Cardoza-Regalado to WISH-TV. She moved to Indianapolis from Chicago when she was young.
IMPD needs to fill 200 positions. The deadline to apply for the academy is Friday.
