Source: IMPD / WISH-TV
INDIANAPOLIS — There’s a new top cop in Indianapolis, and he has plenty of goals as the new chief of police.
“We’re going to collaborate more with our officers and we’re going to listen to them more than maybe we have over the last four years,” says Indianapolis Metro Police Chief Chris Bailey, “that’s not (former) Chief Taylor’s fault. I’m just as at fault with that as anyone else.”
Chief Bailey tells WIBC’s Hammer and Nigel show he’s focused on strengthening the culture of IMPD in an effort to retain officers and entice other law enforcement officials to join IMPD.
Bailey served as Assistant Chief to former Chief Randal Taylor. During that aforementioned four-year period, IMPD dealt with several significant challenges.
Chief Bailey was there to witness the rise, and eventual record-breaking totals, of violent crime, specifically murders. There were the 2020 protests after the death of George Floyd and the eventual two-day riot in downtown Indianapolis. Last year, IMPD experienced an unusually high number of officer-involved shootings.
While Chief Bailey has always maintained that officers respond to the actions of suspects, he did mention during his swearing-in ceremony Monday that a deep-analysis of officer-involved shootings was one of his top priorities as the new chief.
Talking to WIBC’s Hammer and Nigel show Tuesday, Chief Bailey also highlighted the importance of putting together rock-solid police work to then turn over to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office in hopes of securing wins in court and keeping violent criminals locked up.
Chief Bailey says he won’t critique Prosecutor Ryan Mears or even Mayor Joe Hogsett in person, rather choosing to hold those discussions behind closed doors and finding solutions.
One issue Bailey wants to focus on this year is some kind of bail reform, “no one wants someone to sit in jail on a low-level crime or misdemeanor who can’t afford to get out of jail. But those individuals who victimize someone with a weapon: there needs to be a message that that behavior is unacceptable and there needs to be accountability for that.”
Chief Bailey also made sure to say that while IMPD will focus on building a positive culture, that doesn’t excuse officers who do wrong and need to be held accountable.
IMPD is just a spoke on the criminal justice wheel, Chief Bailey explains, but he says it’s the first spoke and first step towards keeping the community safe.
