Tanya Terry Approved as IMPD Chief After Officer Review
INDIANAPOLIS –Tanya Terry is now officially the new chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The City-County Council’s Public Safety Committee approved her Wednesday, and the vote got applause from both city leaders and people.
Her confirmation comes after a video surfaced last week showing an officer telling a teenager during a traffic stop, “I will kill you. Do you understand me?”
Terry called the language unacceptable and said it doesn’t reflect the department’s values. She explained that officers were watching a student walkout when they saw a teenager get into a car with a loaded gun. A loaded, stolen handgun was later found within reach of a 17-year-old passenger.
Terry said an internal review is ongoing, and the prosecutor is looking at the case.
She takes over as crime in the city continues to fall. Last year, murders, shootings, and robberies all dropped about 20% compared with 2024.
The meeting also touched on the city’s civilian oversight board, created in 2020. A state bill could limit civilian involvement, but Terry didn’t take a firm stance on it.
She says she’ll release a plan next week detailing how she intends to work with neighborhoods under her leadership.
