More than 50 officers to patrol downtown

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indianapolis Police Chief Rick Hite sent a strong message that unsupervised teens who cause trouble downtown will not be tolerated.

“We follow you until you until you understand we are the adults in the room,” said Chief Hite.

Recently downtown has had a rash of violent crimes. It all came to a head last Saturday night when a 16-year-old boy fired shots into a crowd of people near Capitol Avenue and Maryland Street.

IMPD has since announced enhanced security measures.

In a joint press conference, members from the downtown business community, IndyGo, Marion County courts, and members of the Ten Point Coalition stood together in a united front. 

Hite added officers will ride IndyGo buses headed downtown this weekend, gang detectives will monitor the entry ways of Circle Centre Mall, and potential trouble makers will be waved with a metal detector.

Marion County juvenile probation officers will conduct random probation sweeps for teens who have active warrants. IMPD will also monitor cameras and listen radios strategically placed around the downtown area. 

“We are putting a lot of resources down here this weekend,” said Downtown District Commander Karen Arnett.

Pastors from Ten Point Coalition and other faith based leaders held press conference earlier in the day. The group wants curfew inside Circle Centre Mall and is also pushing for a stricter city wide curfew. Part of the plan will include the City Council moving crime prevention dollars to the public safety department.

Harrison added if these are not followed the group will pursue other actions.

“We are going to use the power we have in this community to mobilize the hundreds of thousands of people to get behind the initiative,” said Charles Harrison with Ten Point Coalition.