Report: 40 percent think Indy leaders can aid police-community relations
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new report shows about 40 percent of people believe police-community relations can improve with the help of Indianapolis city leadership.
People were polled who went to a forum back in July taking a closer look at the relationship. Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis put together the 30-page report. The school had representatives taking notes during two of the police-community forums about what people want to see improve. The other meeting they attended was in May.
The City-County Council helped put these meetings together after two Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were cleared to return to work after they shot and killed an unarmed black man, Aaron Bailey, in 2017. The goal of the meetings was to get people talking honestly and openly about how people in Indianapolis feel about IMPD and how its officers feel about the community.
Eventually, when these reports are compiled, the City-County Council is expected to review them and determine if there is any legislative action that they should take.
According to the report, some in the community say they have anxiety when talking with law enforcement and sometimes feel unfairly treated. Meanwhile, IMPD officers said they fear even if they do a good job, they’re lumped in with any who may not.
Nearly half of people at the meetings said they believe they got a perspective they’d never seen before.
“I think that’s good and healthy,” said the Rev. Charles Harrison with the Indianapolis Ten Point Coalition, a crime-fighting group.
Harrison said his experience as an Indiana State Police chaplain opened his eyes to what police go through. He said these meetings can do the same for both police and community. “Really changed my perspective about policing that I probably would have never had without riding with state police.”
About 70 percent of people in the July meeting thought their voices had been heard.
Craig Bledsoe was at the first meeting back in May. On Wednesday, he said he wants to see more action since these meetings happened six months ago.
“Something has to be made available like I was telling you at the meeting you have to put the right people into place,” he said.
Bledsoe said people like him, who had run-ins with police when he was younger, need to help the younger generation with IMPD and about lessons to learn. He said it will take everyone to help this relationship move forward.
The report identifies suggestions by the community on how the police can improve the relations, including giving more instructions and slowing down when pulling someone over and not treating questions asked as a sign of disrespect.
People News 8 talked to said it’s crucial to teach people to be respectful to police officers, an area where the public could possibly make some strides.
The report said there could be some educational opportunities about the citizen complaint process and the merit board and more of these conversations.