Last of 7 appointments made to civilian-majority General Orders Board

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Randal Taylor on Friday announced the last appointment to the seven-member General Orders Board, a group that oversees police policy.

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Sgt. Kevin Kendall was selected by Taylor and a majority vote of the membership of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 86. Kendall joined the Marion County Sheriff’s Department in 1996, where he worked as a K-9 officer and a member of SWAT. He was part of the motorcycle drill team until 2014 when he was promoted to sergeant and assigned to IMPD’s Northwest District patrol. Kendall is also a team leader on the department’s Police Officer Support Team, IMPD said Friday. Kendall asked not to share his photo.

As part of Proposal 237 passed by the Indianapolis City-County Council in 2020, the board has a civilian majority, with two members appointed by the mayor’s office, two appointed by the council, two appointed by the police department, and one appointed by the Fraternal Order of Police.

IMPD made its two appointments, IMPD Police Chief Bryan Roach and veteran IMPD Capt. David Robinson, in February, the same day that Mayor Joe Hogsett announced two civilian appointments to the board for two-year terms, Jasmin French and Chrystal Ratcliffe.

The Indianapolis City-County Council through two resolutions in February appointed Clyde Posley and Lahny Silva, also to two-year terms.

The proposal to reorganize the board came on the heels of nationwide protests against police brutality and calls for reimagined, community-focused policing.

Overview of some other appointees:

Jasmin French

• Senior Manager of Ethics and Compliance at Cummins
• Previously served as attorney for Ice Miller LLP and DLA Piper LLP
• Member of Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art’s Board of Directors
• Serves on advisory boards of the Indianapolis Zoo and the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana
• Graduate of FBI Citizens Academy and Indy Chamber’s Advance 317 Leadership Exchange program

Chrystal Ratcliffe

• Retired United Auto Workers union activist
• Spent last 24 years in leadership roles
• Served as community chairperson for UAW
• Former vice president of the AMVETS Auxiliary and Americanism Council
• Current president of the Greater Indianapolis branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
• 4th vice president for the Indiana NAACP
• Serves on her parish council and is president of her neighborhood homeowner’s association

Bryan Roach

• Former IMPD Police Chief from 2017-2019
• Oversaw creation of Mobile Crisis Assistance Teams (MCAT)
• Launched the Crime Gun Intelligence Center
• Graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Executive Institute and National Academy
• Awarded two Medals of Valor and a Medal of Merit

David Robinson

• Captain and 25-year veteran of IPD/IMPD
• Served in IMPD’s Operations, Internal Affairs, Professional Standards, Special Events
• Served as Deputy Chief of Investigations
• U.S. Army veteran