Source: (Photo by WISH-TV)
INDIANAPOLIS — If you’ve heard about violent crime in Indianapolis, then you may have also heard of the mayor’s plan to make sure violent crime comes to an end.
“In its first two years, this strategy has accompanied a total 31% reduction in criminal homicides and a 20% reduction in non-fatal shootings,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett during a Thursday press conference.
Mayor Hogsett’s Violence Reduction Plan was created in the fall of 2021, following years of record homicides and other violent crimes in the capitol city.
The plan uses 150-million-dollars from the American Rescue Plan to fund new police technology, training, and hiring. That covers both Indianapolis police officers and civilian positions to cover non-emergencies.
“These are record declines at IMPD, but they are just the beginning of a new era in Indianapolis. As our proud Indiana community continues to draw in and generate more value than any other, I am committed to a city where every household can partake in that number-one crime deterrent: prosperity,” Hogsett explained.
The Hogsett administration says Indianapolis had a near 19-percent drop in criminal homicides in 2023, with decreases in non-fatal shootings, robberies, and aggravated assaults.
The next part of the plan is to use 45-million-dollars to help fund community peace organizations and continue progress with IMPD hiring, training, and tech improvements.
IMPD is also working with an outside expert to examine each police shooting from last year and determine if any changes need to be made. There were 18 police shootings involving IMPD in 2023, according to internal IMPD data.
