Weekend patrols to continue downtown

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Watch for a stronger police presence in downtown Indianapolis, again, this weekend. That's the city's response to recent problems around Circle Centre Mall during preceding weekends.

Mayor Greg Ballard told 24-Hour News 8 that Indianapolis police learn something every time they try something like this. 

"We tamp it down. Then it kind of creeps back up again."

Mayor Ballard said he doesn't want to "overplay" the recent problems downtown. But, he said he doesn't want to "underplay" them, either.

"I think you'll see us continue to be a little bit more pro-active here in the near future." 

He wants to find the proper balance to preserve the popularity of downtown and make sure people still feel comfortable attending events here.

Ballard said social media, sometimes, influences how kids move when they're downtown.

A post might say, "Meet here, go here, whatever it may be. Kids, in general, do that.  And people who want to cause trouble do the same thing."

The Mayor told Eric Halvorson he won't accept the idea that illegal activity or violence is just kids being kids. 

"I think all of us are a little angry at the parents who send their kids down there, unsupervised, especially youngsters," Ballard said.

Ballard acknowledged he is concerned about how the problems might affect public perceptions of downtown Indianapolis. 

"People generally do feel like it's safe down there and probably weren't affected, necessarily, by this. But we can't allow this to grow and we certainly can't allow the perception to grow," he said.  If they're affecting the perception of public safety in the area, then we're going to deal with it."

Don't expect an overwhelming police presence, though. 

"I don't think we need to have a one for one or we're going to have overwhelming force, anything like that," Ballard said.  "I don't think anybody expects that.  I think we have to have enough of a presence that the kids know that we're serious about it."

Ballard assures anyone who doesn't heed the warning, "there's a pair of handcuffs awaiting them."