Good afternoon, everyone.

Welcome to the publication.

We're on five three street with the Hannah at New Direction Church.

All right.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Michael Paul Hart representing District 20.

Hey, Mr.

Chairman's Josh Brothers in District 21.

Thank you, Ms.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair Brian Lowry, District 25.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair Frank is here, District.

And to our far right, Council.

Councillor Renee.

Council Renee Allen, if it became the party out.

Good evening, Keith Grace.

Thank you.

Thank you as well.

Thank you, Council BR Robinson, District 1, Chair of the Committee.

Before we continue with the legislative, we will get out for Grave.

We would also break.

And bringing this public committee be a heart of it.

That matters of the stage matters, public discussion matter.

They shouldn't just happen in downtown.

But Chief Terry, uh welcome.

And this historic appointment.

This is a significant moment for our city, and we recognize both the opportunity and responsibility that comes with this role.

Our community on the east side of Indianapolis is strong.

We've built great relationships with our East District leadership, an IMPD.

And as a result, we've seen crime decline.

That progress, it also included the collaboration from our neighborhood leaders, our faith community.

Thank you for hosting us here.

Our grassroots organizations and our residents that work together.

One that values community voice, invest in prevention, strengthens relationships, and addresses the root causes of crime alongside enforcement.

The district stands ready to partner with you.

Look for strong leadership, strong community collaboration.

We look forward to working with you, Chief Terry.

I'll turn it over to the chairman for the whole agenda tonight.

Thank you, uh Council Craig.

Pastor Solomon, please stand for a moment, please.

Thank you for hosting this evening.

All the ways we're in the community, not just on the east side, but throughout our city, the benchmark for wholesome things for the things you do in our city as well.

Thank you so much.

We do have a uh full agenda this evening, uh but before we start, you have to uh speak this evening, which is open hearings.

I actually got to sign up with the paper.

It's a paper of a friend here who will come up and sign the uh sign in sheet.

Want to speak this evening.

want to thank the lead pastor of the direction church uh pastor stalling uh please stand for one please thank you for hosting this evening all the break things with the community uh not just on the east side but throughout our city and the thank you for hosting thank you for the things you do in our city as well thank you so much we do have a uh full agenda this evening uh but before we start you have to speak this evening which is open hearing i actually got to sign up with the paper it's a paper up front here who will come up and sign the uh signing sheet want to speak this evening we appreciate you do that uh with consent I'd like to move proposal number sixty seven to the the agenda please thank you so much post number three seventy five uh twenty twenty five appoints here and shee in do not just have you and our detention center advisory board is able to come this evening we'd ask if we could one more time for the last time uh postpone this to the last the next meeting sound second so move so we'll move 375 to the next council meeting in uh in March up next proposal number nine 2025 reappoints Robert Hamley the Marion County public defender board mr hand mr hammerly requests to be withdrawn for this appointment so is council pearce do we have a vote on this withdrawal for proposal number nine so move so we need a motion to second please second motion we call to move this second all in favor of withdrawing proposal number nine significant by saying aye those opposed motion carries number nine will be withdrawn from the agenda also proposal number 16 amends the code to add the firefighters portion new section 230 252 310 entitled rental lead the sponsors reached out to us this evening counselor brown and asked we table this this item as well so we need a motion to and second to table proposal 16 seconds motion has been proper to second table proposal number 16 at the request of council brown all those by saying aye aye those opposed motion carries it to the table and now we have proposal number 40 2026 directs public safety control test committee we do accept the submission of the sheriff of the commissary fund report report who's gonna speak to that report please thank you so much here or here okay that's fine anyone wants to speak to the uh ask questions later please come forward and sign up as well record angela writer okay you want to speak to this report this commissioner report is I'm here to ask and try to get in for my answer question middle when it turns green should be good and I don't oversee the report uh right here as a representative of the sheriff's office to in order to in order to um I'm sorry so submitted but that commissary report for the last quarter of 425 if you have any questions I can take back to the sheriff's office I'll be happy to do so we have a copy of that report uh Ms.

Pierce we have a copy of that report it was submitted to us via email council have any questions on what they was sent but if you have any questions regarding the report the commissary fund's the time to ask the uh sheriff's office councils council maybe mr chair uh was this review uh or was this report sent to all of the counselors I may have missed it in it so I apologize but I mean you know the proposal does say to review and accept the report and honestly I haven't reviewed it yes that it had been sent a month ago okay and I assume that means it's sent to the clerk for the council yes okay thank you and we we could verify Ms.

Pierce it was distributed to everyone correct it was emailed today to all the council again so it was it was mailed first kind of month ago well I was saying today I emailed it to the council when I received it so is there's a chance they haven't had a chance to review it though I know the clerk had the email but I'm not sure she so counselor thing I notice you're concerned if you haven't seen it um I'm not quite sure when you all received it though so what's your pleasure I'm happy to have a discussion here with the committee if we want to consider postponing I don't know if there's a deadline the one has to be received or not but I would feel comfortable saying that I've reviewed something and obviously I have not if I just got the email today counselor has any of the counselors um recall receiving the report other than today I don't think council leader leader mounting yeah yes there uh reason we don't have a copy of in front of us tonight um normally the person precedes the copy ma'am what's your name again Angela Brigner Ms.

Normally the person presented brings the copy.

May I watch your name again?

Ms.

Rider, is there any issues with a postponement without delay any operations?

Council Bain, you want to have a motion?

So move.

Second.

We have a motion to postpone the report.

They're loss from the clerk.

And request will call those person who wants to say aye.

Thank you so much.

So we'll see you next next month.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

And the last on our agenda is the proposal 67, 2026.

Who's the most equivalent of time at the carry?

Fully.

She really wanted to prepare a slide deck for us tonight.

But this is one, but we just said, you know what to talk to the members of the community tonight.

Give us your vision, your plan, your thoughts, and we'll do a slide deck of budget season.

We didn't need this multiple.

So welcome.

Thank you, Chairman.

Oh, let me get adjusted to this microphone here.

All right.

Good evening, Chairman Robinson and members of the public safety and criminal justice committees.

Thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight.

I want to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to each of you for your continued support of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the men and women who serve our city every single day.

I'd also like to thank Pastors Kenneth Sullivan and Henzi Green for sharing their space with us and hosting this meeting here tonight.

I'm also deeply grateful to Mayor Hogsett for this incredible opportunity and for his trusted need to lead this department.

I step into this role mindful of the responsibility it carries and the expectations that come with it.

Humbled and honored by what truly feels like the opportunity of a lifetime.

For some of you, this may be one of the first times you're hearing from me, and I can promise you it won't be the last.

But a little bit about me.

I moved here to Indianapolis in the second grade.

I was raised on the east side of town.

I graduated from Warren Central High School and I attended IUPUI.

The city has been my home ever since.

My wife and I are raising our two teenagers here.

And I've served this department since 1999 across patrol, investigations, and leadership roles, including helping to establish specialized units and leading teams as a sergeant and lieutenant and some of our most demanding assignments.

In 2021, I was honored to command the Southwest District, where I cultivated strong relationships with the community, and I'm looking forward to bringing that experience and perspective citywide.

Two years ago, I was appointed to Deputy Chief of Operations, and today I sit before you honored and humbled to be IMPD's chief of police.

Each of these roles has deepened my understanding of what our officers face on the street every day.

Over the past several years, IMP alongside our community has faced significant challenges.

Limited staffing and the overall perception of law enforcement take a real toll on officers.

They feel it in the community, in the media, and in their daily interactions.

Even through it all, their commitment to this city and our community has never wavered.

They show up day and night to answer calls and serve our neighbors, and their work is making a real difference.

What this department has achieved over the past few years belongs squarely to our officers, detectives, and professional staff.

Last year, murders dropped by nearly 20%, and we're down nearly 45% compared to 2021.

Nonfatal shootings declined, robberies, violent crime, and property crime were all down last year and have continued trending downward over the past four years.

These are not just numbers on a chart.

They represent fewer victims, fewer families devastated, and safer streets across our city.

We are talking about lives saved.

At the same time, we know that even one life lost is one too many.

We continue to see conflicts that turn deadly in a single moment.

Families are forever changed.

We must continue to reinforce the message that conflicts should be handled with words and not weapons.

These conversations have to start early.

At home, in schools, in faith communities, and across our neighborhoods.

Our community and our kids need to know that violence and firearms are not the answer.

We also had to have to hold ourselves to the same standard.

I understand the community's concern about the recent statement used by one of our officers during a traffic stop that was shared on social media.

Let me be clear.

That language does not reflect the values of this department or the professionalism we expect from our officers.

We must do better.

Context matters, but it does not take away from the impact of those words.

This is a moment for accountability, reflection, and recommitment to the high standards that our community deserves.

At the same time, the good actions and de escalation efforts that occurred prior to the comment were not captured in the social media video.

Our officers and the occupants engaged in respectful dialogue both before and after what is shown online.

Two things can be true at the same time.

The statement that was used was not acceptable, and it is also unacceptable for children to be in possession of firearms.

Holding officers accountable does not mean we ignore the very real dangers that illegal guns pose in our community.

Here's what I can tell you that led up to this incident.

Earlier in the day, INPD received information that some students participating in the walkout may be armed.

Out of an abundance of caution, officers were assigned to monitor the area, which is consistent with how we approach school walkouts to ensure safety while students exercise their First Amendment rights.

While monitoring the activity, officers observed the juvenile get into a vehicle while in possession of a handgun.

Officers followed the vehicle away from the gathering and initiated a traffic stop after observing a traffic violation.

When officers approached the vehicle, they had reasonable suspicion that a firearm was present, but did not know where it was located in the vehicle.

During the stop, the driver did not initially follow the officer's commands and turned away from the officer.

In that moment, an Austin's language that does not align with our training or our expectations.

The driver was then detained, and the remaining occupants were taken into custody without incident.

A loaded handgun was recovered within reach of the front passenger.

The front passenger was 17 years old and legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

The gun had also been recorded stolen.

IMPD has provided all relevant information to the prosecutor for review, and the internal administrative investigation into the officer's conduct is ongoing.

Recognizing the danger our officers faced does not excuse what the officer said in that moment.

Both matter.

That is why in the coming months you'll see IMPD working closely with community partners to make sure our young people have safe, positive opportunities during spring break and throughout the summer.

This work cannot be done by IMPD alone.

It must be a shared responsibility, and it will take all of us.

Families, schools, faith leaders, community organizations, and local government working together to keep our kids safe.

Next week, you will also be invited to join us as we unveil our strategic plan, which has been in the works for nearly a year.

We are grateful to Chief Bailey for initiating this important work.

While leadership may change, IMPD's mission, vision, and values remain constant.

This plan reflects the voices of our officers, our professional staff, and our community members.

This plan sets the course, and together we will bring it to life.

Our focus will remain on public safety, reducing violent crime, and keeping people safe across our city and within our department.

We will continue to support our officers and professional staff by investing in their well-being, training, and professional development so they can serve with professionalism and integrity.

We'll expand community partnerships because trust is the foundation of public safety.

We will strengthen relationships, increase transparency, and ensure our community has a meaningful voice in shaping how their neighborhoods are policed.

We will leverage technology and data by building on the work of our analysts, our real-time crime center, and our officers, ensuring they have the tools to turn information into action, and that action into safety.

And we will use resources wisely by maximizing efficiency, reducing unnecessary demands on officers' time, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and effectively.

There is real fear and uncertainty surrounding immigration enforcement, and with new leadership in place, questions have been raised about whether IMPD's role will change.

IMPD has not changed its stance.

While we maintain strong partnerships with our federal law enforcement counterparts, IMPD has not entered into any agreements to enforce federal immigration laws.

With our limited staffing, our priority must remain reducing violent crime and protecting our community.

Equally important, when our officers conduct routine investigations, they do not ask about anyone's immigration status.

No one should ever hesitate to call the police if they are in danger or have been victimized.

The officers and professional staff of IMPD are committed to serving everyone in our city.

And every person deserves to be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.

In closing, I want to thank again Mayor Hogstead for his support of this department and thank Chairman Robinson and members of this committee for your partnership in supporting public safety.

I also want to thank our community and our various partners.

Your willingness to work alongside us and share responsibility is what makes real progress possible.

The trust of this council, combined with the dedication of our officers and professional staff is helping move Indianapolis in the right direction.

By continuing to work side by side, we can strengthen public safety and build a safer, more connected city for everyone.

Thank you, sir.

Appreciate you your time and your words.

I do want to take a quick moment to acknowledge two of our colleagues in the audience.

You want to say the worst please.

Thank you, Council.

And Council, a little bit further west, uh representative downtown is also here, Council Osley.

Thank you, welcome.

With that, uh, thank you again, Chief Command Staff.

Oh, Council Boose.

Oh, okay.

Mr.

Force, please.

Thank you, both green.

Hi, that's McCormick District 16 by Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, Councilor.

With that, um, again, thank you all for being here this evening and community in chief and your commands.

If you want to take a quick moment, it's just your command staff for us, please.

Absolutely.

Who's the guy in the great suit there?

Chief of Staff.

Chief of Staff.

Deputy Mayor.

Christopher Bailey, you may know him.

Listen, assistant chief of police, Michael Wally, Deputy Chief of Investigations, Kendale Adams, Deputy Chief of Operations, Matthew Thomas, and over here are command staff, Commander Ron Hicks, Commander Lorenzo Lewis, Commander Shane Foley, Major Mims, Commander Jeff Silcox, Commander Leaper, you all may know him.

We are in his district.

Is that the rest of the line?

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you, Chief.

Thank you all for your service as well.

Commissary question counselors.

Councillor Gray's host.

Thanks a lot, Mr.

Chairman.

And thank you for that thorough presentation, Chief.

My question is uh to get a sense of your thoughts on having uh civilian led or civilian involved police oversight review boards.

We do know that in the General Assembly there is some legislation that's moved out of the Senate, and it threatens to answer or weaken the authority that the civilians may have and make it uh more advisory perspective.

I think that that creates trust, it creates transparency, and it creates partnership when we have civilians involved with that.

Uh otherwise it would be team watching over team, and we've seen that maybe uh over the course of time, so thank you.

Yes, we are monitoring a number of bills that are running uh through legislation right now.

Uh regardless of what's passed or not passed, we will continue to follow the law, whichever law is on the books.

Uh I understand why the board was created, and I certainly appreciate and embrace uh community involvement in our policies and our process.

I regardless of what passes, I continue to uh I do intend to embrace civilian uh involvement in our agency.

How do you see let's go hypothetically and say that this does pass?

How do you see community being involved in a meaningful way?

I think part of that is gonna just depend on what is actually passed, and then have to evaluate what that allows for, what that looks like, but I certainly don't have any intention of eliminating community involvement from our agency.

Thank you, Chief.

Councilor Allen.

First, I want to say congratulations.

Um the first one to become the chief of police, and I think you deserve to be celebrated for that.

Thank you, ma'am.

What came out of that question for me is transparency.

I know that there's a trust factor between police and community.

How do you foresee that?

I I agree with you.

I think that um through transparency, through consistent communication, we can build that trust and legitimacy.

And I think it's a foundation of what allows us to be a part of our community.

Uh we get our authority from the community.

That relies on the trust that we build with our community.

So I think that it's important for members of our community, uh, members of the board to be heavily involved and seeing behind the scenes what goes into our policies, what do our policies say?

What do our policies say?

Participate in available training, a mandated training that's available to members of the board to, I'm sure part of that is involved at our training academy, where they can be the one that walks up to a car of unknowns, or they can be the one knocking on a door that they don't know what's on the other side and put those policies and practices into play in the scenario.

I think that's critical.

I think that develops mutual understanding.

I think it develops the ability to see perspectives from a different angle.

And I think we all need to do that.

And I think that engaging with our community members and those critical discussions isn't only a one-way benefit, it's a benefit to the officers as well because I've been doing this for 27 years.

I'm sure my brain is wired a little differently.

Ask my 16-year-olds.

Thank you for that response.

My next question is there's been talk, you know, social media, and we have people saying, constituents saying, We don't know her.

But then I also heard, oh, we do know her.

So for those that don't know you, how can they get to know you?

Well, I'm coming to a neighborhood near you.

No, uh, seriously, I do have uh some friends in the in the house from Southwest, and these people know me.

They know Tanya Terry.

Uh go talk to them.

Yeah, they'll tell you.

Um, but yeah, I certainly hope to expand those relationships citywide.

I have uh a team of people around me uh asking uh people in the community who do I need to get in front of?

What events do I need to attend?

I would like to get to know people and certainly want to make myself available to members of our community because that's important.

And speaking to your comments that you uh led with, as the first female chief of police, I want young women in our community to see leadership in this capacity.

And I wanted to see a first time.

Well, thank you for your transparency and answering my question again.

Congratulations, and thank you for saying yes, and thank you for training the way for other young women to see what leadership looks like, and I look forward to working with you.

I do too, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, thank you, Chief.

And I would report this evening, it's kind of working.

Here we go.

This is work better.

Look forward to supporting this evening.

Uh I appreciate your dedication to the job, and I think you were the right person for the right at the right time in a great place.

Uh you come with outstanding regard from the FLG president Grace Snyder.

So that definitely says a lot about you as well.

So I appreciate that.

I did have kind of a question about one of the things that's been news today with Julia Carson Trains there.

It seems like there's an issue over there, and being it's right across the street from where you're headquartered.

Are there plans that you have in place that you're kind of thinking of now, especially if you heard this news today, I'm sure, with the five or six people that had an overdose situation where there seems to be some kind of drug problem over there.

Is there a client to try to get more control over there to try to help with that?

Even I think frankly, indigo should be paying some off-duty officers to try to come out with security because they need to ask and scan this game because they're property, they need to help address this problem.

Uh, so I'm just curious about your plans for that, and if you could elaborate, thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

We have addressed um persistent concerns in that area, uh, not just with the transit center itself, but uh we've made some changes uh at the city level with Luger Plaza.

Uh clearly substance abuse is an issue in various parts of our city.

Uh newly appointed Commander Foley has very capable team that has been giving attention to that area, of course.

Of course, they have been working in concert with some specialized teams that we have in the agency led by Deputy Chief Adams to use both covert and overt strategies to address the issues in that area, and it seems sometimes we'll get a handle on it, and then you know, it just takes one bad seed to pop up and poison uh several people.

So we're on top of it.

I was made aware of that earlier today.

I've been assured by Deputy Chief Thomas that they are putting a plan together and will be aggressively trying to address the root cause and make that situation much better.

Thank you for that response.

Um there's a lot of people that obviously depend on and you go to get to and from places safe, and when you have issues like you heard we heard today on the news, it's it's alarming.

So especially when I've walked by there many a time and seeing young young kids there too.

We don't want to certainly don't want them to be affected by it, and I mean even exposed to that issue.

So it's good to hear about plan place making.

Yeah, we do, and I want to make mention that it's not just the it's not just I and PD that's attacking the issue.

Uh we have partners.

Uh part of our plan in the past has also uh been in partnership with community-based organizations to try to provide resources to individuals that may be uh suffering from substance abuse.

So it's not just an enforcement uh perspective, but also uh connection with services as well.

Thank you, leader, counselor Bain.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, and thank you, Chief.

Look forward to supporting your uh appointments tonight.

Uh I will say there's a sense of pride that a former Southwest District Commander is now the chief of IMPD over the past several weeks.

I've had many neighborhood uh leaders on the Southwest side that reach out and just drops to see the officer Terry is now going to be the chief, and um the amount of people who just know who you are.

I think is a testament to your involvement when you were district commander, and we all look forward and have confidence that that's going to continue in your new role.

Just have a few questions going into this.

What's your take on current officer morale culture within IMPD?

Do you feel like morale is in a good place?

Do you think it um needs some attention?

Curious to your thoughts on that.

I think that there's always room for improvement in officer morale, and that's always what we strive for.

I think that with the strategic plan that's been in progress for the last year, we have a real opportunity to positively impact officer morale.

One of my priorities as chief is going to be supporting the officers that we have, encouraging them by providing uh necessary training, equipment, uh, wellness services, because we know that when we have healthy, happy officers, that translates to positive interactions in our community.

So it's certainly a top priority.

I I'm really excited about the strategic plan.

I look forward to uh the event next week when we get to unveil it and share more about that.

But certainly that has uh multifaceted input and real concrete action items for us to uh speak to just that morale.

Yeah, that's great to hear.

I I definitely look forward to seeing that and going through it with you.

Uh one last question I have is what's your view on how the department of law enforcement can interact with the faith community?

You know, obviously, you know, we're in a church right now, so one would assume this church is really active in their community.

But I go back to I think it was like five years ago.

I just caucus to the council, and I met with the pastor in the Mars School area that was um had a very lively discussion with me about the amount of like needles and stuff that they're finding on their property, and they're like, what's I and doing IMPD doing?

What's the city doing to address this?

And kind of my pushback to that is well, what are you doing?

You know, because I feel like a church is almost more on the front lines in their community than law enforcement is sometimes that certainly can have uh more interactions with their community.

So curious to be your thoughts.

What's your you're gonna say like any like a very long like vision of what it is going to put you on the spot or anything, but curious what you see the department's interaction being with the faith community here at the city.

I think we have relationships with many facets of the faith community throughout the city, and all the commanders that are up here would attest to that.

Uh for one thing, faith leaders are examples in their community, but they're also as a former commander faith leaders are people that I relied on as well, uh, either for advice or to host functions, which uh I haven't met one yet that hasn't opened their doors to both the police and the community and facilitated those critical conversations and and positive engagement.

Major Corey Mims has coordinated for uh several years the Faith in Blue weekend, where we attend uh services and and various um houses of worship throughout the community, and I think that uh there's none of us that walk away from uh one of those services.

I think somebody staying at one of them.

Um I think there's the opportunity is created for the dialogue for the partnership, and I think that when we can invite our faith leaders or other community-based organizations to be a part of the solution, it's a force multiplier.

Thank you, Council.

Council uh Council Boots.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, Chief Terry.

Congratulations on the forward supporting you this evening.

Um, just a question on staffing.

Um, there's considerable pressure each budget year on our council to grant 1743 funding when we're so far below that number, and there's so many other pressing needs.

Um, what are some of your ideas on finding the lack of staffing?

And you know, I know it's not unique by any means IMPD, but I would like to hear some ideas that you might you or your staff might have toward improving the fund the staffing situation.

I think there's uh two strategies that need to be um approached at the same time uh short-term approach and long-term approach in the short term.

Uh, some of what I just spoke uh spoke to as far as leaning into our officer of health and wellness, uh providing them with tools, training, um everything that would allow them to be a professional police officer and feel confident in their work.

Uh that encourages our retention.

Our goal is going to be the focus of keeping the men and women here that are already here, making IMPD an inviting department, an inviting family, an inviting agency to be a part of, something that they can be proud of.

Uh, that's the short term.

Officer retention is just as important as officer recruiting.

And then when it comes to the long-term goal, that's when we're digging into our recruiting strategies, our recruiting efforts.

Of course, we're re-evaluating uh constantly uh seeking opportunities for improvement, looking at national best practices, what's working in other uh communities, what's working in other agencies, uh evaluating our hiring process, what does that look like?

Are there ways that we can improve our applicant pool?

What uh leaning into technology uh recently we've uh invested in some technology that helps uh facilitate better continuous communication with our applicants who are interested in joining the agency.

There are um, of course, community partnerships.

Any opportunity that we have, and we have uh every member of our agency that puts a uniform on, they should consider themselves a recruiter.

I I can tell you that uh my wife, I can't take her to dinner.

If we get a good server at dinner, she gives them her card and says, Have you ever thought about law enforcement?

So every one of us is a recruiter, and when we develop partnerships in the community, we create opportunities, we create interests, and we can identify people that have a heart to serve.

So I hope that answers your question.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

And like always, Councillor Boots and I are thinking in lockstep here.

Um, this is a major uh point of topic for me.

But the one thing I wanted to just reiterate is something I heard multiple times in your um your remarks is that uh persecting our community, and I heard that multiple times from you.

I think that's a sentiment that rings true for all of us, and even your background reading your resume here.

I'm I'm very proud to see that you know you're a graduate of Warren Center High School.

It's the biggest industry that I represent, and there's a lot of pride on the east side, and that really is true for everybody.

So I think you know, hearing what I'm hearing about the Southwest side and knowing that you have connections both in Lawrence and Warren, um, as your reputation is going to really procedure so quickly and really glad to see some of these things.

Um but as Counselor Boots was alluding to on the recruitment side of the house, you know, a lot of us have concerns for varying degrees of reasons, right?

Uh some budgetary uh and what to do with that money if it's you know for overtime buckets or you know what we can do when we're work we're short with officers, right?

And it's you know what we're budgeting for versus who the folks are that are on staff now versus the ones who are also they're on staff, but they're also out for any particular reason, right?

Whether it's muscle health related, vacation related, and all of the other sorts of of varying degree of reasons um that just put the public outside of that ability to protect be protecting the public because we don't have the staff there.

And so, you know, that's one of the things that you know I want to drill down into.

Obviously, we've got the big strategic plan announcement coming next week.

That's what I'm looking forward to hearing the most out of is how we dive into that, and that's just been you know, not just IMP is the city all across, right?

It's something I tried to address in a proposal last year, and it's something that you know I'm here to help creatively think about.

Um, last year we had a public safety round table.

This was part of the discussion, you know.

Since then, you know, I've been trying to reach out to uh chiefs of police in Dallas Fort Worth where I've seen them have a surplus of officers, right?

2,000 uh applicant surplus, and I'm sending the messages saying, hey, send them to Indy, right?

And it's it's finding to your point any creative strategy to recruit.

I'd say we're all recruiters with you and trying to do the same thing just as much.

So I'm trying to do it at a macro level, and I want to you know be here to disport.

But that to me is the number one prior priority that I would like to ask out of you and as of the people that I represent is we've got to get these numbers up, we've got to see a clear path for what that looks like, um, an annual growth percentage goal that we're reaching towards and uh you know quarterly check-ins on how we're attaining that goal and making sure that we're getting there or addressing our strategies um in the end turn if if we're not working out.

So um question, you you explain yourself with Councillor Boots, but that is uh where my party's like.

I look forward to continuing those conversations and happy to provide regular updates.

Thank you, Councillor Bank Chief Councillor Wills.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, Chief.

Congratulations.

I appreciate all the comments made tonight.

Um, but I think the chief did say, so I have to say east side to the west side because even though she graduated from Orange Central, um, on the West side, we do acclaim her as well and have for a really long time.

I think that's really important to note um because when we met, it was on the other end of 38th Street not too long ago, and what I was moved by what I want the community to know is what I saw that that morning.

Um we were at MOTW, which stands for Muslims of the world, and it's a beautiful coffee shop, and I had an amazing empanada case you get one.

Um but people interrupted us several times when I wasn't mad because I was moved to watch people want to shake her hand and hug her and thank her because they know her to be exactly who who she described in her speech I look forward to your slide that she but I needed needed you to hear that.

Um as a former educator, I worked in the Southwest district.

I've always worked with high school age kids that are taller than me, sometimes bigger and stronger and scarier um and in the safe place because of the leadership here from my time.

She's upfront, she's honest.

Um, and wash our community express gratitude and joy and pride in in this appointment.

She tarry it was just really poetic and beautiful to see, and I hope that all of you have an opportunity as she flourishes into cheat to be able to see her do what she does best in this role because the challenges are steep.

Um, but with that, um I I think it's important to talk a little bit about the rulemaking body that is often the elephant in the room, especially when the state goes in this session since 2020.

Um, and I think as the author, I want to help our officers understand our community understand.

When we talk about general orders, these are written rules, it's sort of a guide book.

Um, and the experts on the actions on the ground and the tools and what needs to happen.

Those are actions and those come from the brains of the trained professionals in uniform that are out on your feet tonight in our communities.

Um but oftentimes language can be confusing.

There's a duality of meaning oftentimes with words, and words and actions can be confusing and communication is a big deal, and collaboration is a big deal in success, and that's a recipe that I know she Terry and the amazing leaders behind her are well versed in and are committed to no matter what happens out of the state house.

And I too stand um with I and PD with you, Chief, you chief chief, um to make sure that that we do what's best to keep our officers proud to stay here, work here, live here, served here, and so that our community feels safe as well.

And I know that not only are you up for the challenge of the exact person to do it and meet this moment.

So thank you, Mr.

Chairman, for that time, and um I will yield the rest of my time to Councillor Delaney.

That's okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um I counselor Allen's comments about uh your role as a female leader in the city.

Um start home with me, but it's also something that I wanted to say as I came up here that it shouldn't be lost.

That the entire command staff is sitting there behind you as male.

Um, and there I believe we're missing deputy chief commands.

Um, but the entire command staff here is male, and it's not lost on me, the achievement that you've made by the community sheep are police.

I'm as a female, I'm extremely proud and honored that we are achieved.

Um question tonight is around homelessness in our city, and I was wondering if you could just briefly address given the cold temperatures that we're experiencing.

Um, and I know the city has uh implemented a couple new shelters that they did last year, and they've improved the program this year, winter shelters.

But could you talk about how I and P interfaces with our home population and what you're doing to help?

Absolutely.

We have an amazing uh homeless outreach unit that is led by Major Mac Glamore.

Many of you may know her, and they really focus on trying to connect our on-house neighbors with resources.

I know that we've also worked very closely with other city agencies on the streets to home program, and uh we have supported our warming shelters by providing um security support, check-ins, uh regular communication with staff uh throughout this very difficult cold winter and conditions that we've experienced.

But our outreach unit, I would stand them up to anybody.

Uh we have other uh agencies and organizations that come here to learn how we do things.

Uh, it is not enforcement oriented, however, if there are crimes committed at times, we have to take some enforcement action and law enforcement.

Uh but really our priority is trying to care for our unhoused neighbors and be good partners with other community agencies that are also trying to do the same thing.

So, yes, it's a very delicate, uh sensitive, complex issue, and and we are happy to partner with anybody that's working toward um solving that.

Thank you.

Thanks, Mr.

Chairman, and uh thank you for your uh comments thus far.

I'll be quick.

One thing that came to mind when we talked about impacting the uh the goal for um workforce.

Um we're we're short of that, uh, but do we have any plans to have uh or is this a practice across law enforcement to have um like on deck team like our on deck circle team uh team that is a community team that's being prepared ready, or do we go straight from wherever your career was to now your IAPD?

Uh just seeking that quick question because I have a different question.

So I think you're probably referring to like cadet program or uh internship programs, and major MIMS has been working on uh internship program.

We've had one intermittently in the past.

Um we are re-reviving it and bringing it back because we do think that that's important to develop a pipeline, so to speak, of uh people who maybe aren't old enough to sign on and raise the right hand, but have an interest in law enforcement.

I know that our um community outreach bureau gets into the schools to get in front of our students and our young people uh to expose them to law enforcement and invite them to learn about law enforcement.

We have a team camp in the summer, and I think this year they're expecting some big changes and trying to make it a little bit more like a little academy in the summertime.

I think that's something that speaks to uh your concern there, and uh a cadet program we've had, but we've had some challenges with that, and of course, some of our staffing challenges impact some of the programming.

But Major Mems is doing an incredible job with the limited number of staff that he has in um trying to achieve some of those partnerships and create that pipeline.

That's that's it's very important.

Thank you, Chief.

Um, my other question, real quickly, Mr.

Chair, uh, is regarding partnering with uh grassroots class and eruption organizations and prevention uh the peace fellowship.

Um those are in my opinion the reason why we are seeing the reduction in crime across the city, particularly here in uh east district.

Thank you for your leadership, uh commander.

Uh concerned how how do you guys plan to continue to uh work closely with them our mental health professionals, our social service providers uh to identify individuals that are highly uh high utilizers of our like continued getting arrested, you know.

Some of these things that it's it's more less about the crime that we're we're we're we're seeing with the committee and more about a social service need or some other grassroots uh situation that's being uh screened out.

So we are continuing to lean into uh community violence and eruption and partnering.

Um we have really had a lot of growth over the last several years in that area, and I'm really uh was speaking with Councillor Island a little bit ago.

Um really happy that that has expanded to be able to make youth referrals uh within the last several months, and part of that involves inviting those representatives from our civilian community into aspects of our weekly shooting reviews, we partner with them when we go to try to make contact uh with at-risk individuals in our community to offer resources, but also warn you're headed down a path that is gonna risk your life or somebody else's life, and if you don't seek this other opportunity to connect with resources or make different choices, you're gonna see us again in a different capacity, and we don't know what that looks like all the time, but we do.

We we go out together, we walk alongside each other, uh, we continue to lean into that.

I've said it before, we cannot do this alone.

There's many other aspects of high utilizers of uh multiple systems uh that we are partnering with.

I've had meetings myself with uh, and I don't want to let the cat out of the bag with some of this, but uh piloting programs for uh mobile integrated health where we're working with our partners at IEMS and IFD and even some in Decatur Township to identify those folks that are using 911 services, and they really need to have a different type of support than an emergency run.

And so those people are partnering with us, we are partnering with them to make those referrals, identify those individuals and connect them with resources.

And we've seen it work in the east side.

It started years ago uh in partnership with Shepherd Community Center, and now it sounds like that's expanding to other parts of our community.

We lean into community uh clinician-led response team that we partner with, uh, work very closely with our MCAT that is expanded in our city.

Uh, we welcome any opportunity to identify uh high users of services, whether it's police, uh fire, EMS, any emergency services and ways that we can support those individuals and connect them with ways that they can get access that doesn't involve the use of the 911 system.

We have 988 and uh many other areas where technology can help uh leaning into we have a robust analyst program uh that helps us use data to direct us either to high-risk individuals or identify those uh users of repeat 911 calls.

So uh a hundred percent we welcome those partnerships.

We're happy to collaborate, and we we have collaborations ongoing.

Council picked a chief of this comments and questions of counselors.

Uh I also think about acknowledged IFD chief Malone's with us this evening.

Uh, good afternoon, Chief.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Before we go to public comment, uh Ms.

Clerk would read the statement, and then we'll have those who want to make a public comment regarding proposal 40 to come forward.

Ms.

Clerk.

Before we open the floor to public comments, we would like to remind comedians and the public of a few.

So everyone can have a fair chance to speak and be heard.

It is important that we each observe the following rules.

First, each speaker will be limited to submit.

Second, any public comments must recently be late to the agenda item and a consideration.

Third, speakers who stray from the item under consideration or become unduely repetitious, maybe asked reward their next point or conclude their comments.

Finally, attendees who cause disruptions at prevent meeting from C through the ICE agenda in a recently efficient manner will be remote.

Please remember that some types of threatening speech violence are not protected by the First Amendment at all.

We would deal with those issues.

I will call the names.

Two minutes on Chief Terry is going to be a challenge, but just one.

But even more so in a static tonight to be here as a president to celebrate this historic for many reasons.

But I don't want to be lost that this is underscored by nearly three decades of commitment and service and dedication to our community.

I've had the pleasure of working with Chief Terry for the 10 years I've been with the foundation, and I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that she truly cares about the community.

She's really cares about the officers.

She was actually still my husband boss, but most recently my husband and a little bit of a joke, but I can also share that her work ethic is second to none.

And I think what I seem to have is not only her commitment to the people that she's serving, to the officers that she's leading, but certainly to the community, and that's always in her decision making.

That is key, and Chief Terry's been a champion of the JDAI, many other initiatives there.

Also, 30 by 30, we have I know it's been going around in the media uh recently, but uh we need to have a job of recruitment.

Not only just anybody in general, but certainly any underrepresented community, including females.

Um I think her appointment is uh means a lot more than we know to young women in our community.

I'm excited for that.

Uh so with that, um, I fully support both as the presidency of the public safety foundation, but as a very proud uh friend and community uh resident here, her confirmation as chief of police.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Nelly.

Anyone else's comments or questions will come forward, please?

And come forward.

Ms.

Clerk, can you help with uh Mr.

Naughty?

Can you help with the mic?

Thank you.

Appreciate you.

Hi, ward and I'll um resident Southwest sister.

Can I add Chief Terry when she became commander of Southwest?

The more I met her, the more and the more I respected and admired her, and I've gained respect and admiration that I gained for her.

Professionalism, communication, favorition, and president leadership from her we would do community walks.

She would go up and she would talk at any time and she's sitting out.

She is always very purchasable, very friendly, and at the same time, she uh her leadership and support was outstanding.

Everyone positive.

I asked the officer, what do you think?

Every remark our guide negative things positive, and then the morale is improving.

And with this from an officer, you were willing to have goodbye.

That nobody had anything negative, and you could have a body language to say you're sincere.

And things like that.

And it's important for our leadership, for our community.

And I feel that our community in our city is better and well blessed having her as our chief.

Thank you for your comments, ma'am.

My name is Rob Campbell.

And I've been a resident of Southwest District for almost 40 years.

And when I first met Chief Terry, when she became the commander of Southwest District, she immediately made a difference.

She brought loyalty, honesty, uh harmony, and she believes in the community.

The CRU unit was one of her pet pees.

She loved being there for us.

She made a great difference, community walks and other things.

Couldn't be more proud of her.

And I believe an I am PD, I believe Blue.

She has my undivided support, so does the department, and you guys, great choice.

I just want to say thank you, Mr.

Chairman, and thank you to the committee.

Chairman.

Sure.

Thank you for coming out, sir.

Appreciate it.

Hi.

My name is Jason Ward.

I've been in a Hallville area for 40 years.

I came out there when I was 34.

And when Tanya came to the district immediately, we met, we talked about the concerns of that community out there, and she started walking with us.

We did the walks in the community.

And some of the things that she did, we stopped things that happened in other areas before it started.

Just like you on the east side, they were having different problems where individuals were having those big parties.

We got the community start.

They gave me a uh a ring.

And so we connected with her.

And we stopped that.

We stopped a lot of things in that community.

A lot of things that a lot of people don't know about.

She's fair, she's honest.

And the main thing, she talked to the people.

And a lot of people are scared of police.

But we don't have that.

And that area over there, Hallville Southwest is different than most of the rest.

And another thing is this is that if you notice, a lot of the individuals that have been chiefs, spokesmen come out of Southwest District.

I mean, South West is the best.

And I know her training that she went through.

And uh one thing about it, she would take no mess off nobody.

That was a thing.

When she would go up on the drug dealer's porches, they would kind of shake in their boots.

But you know, she wasn't scared.

So she showed no feel.

And uh just like a lot of things in that community out there.

And that goes back to Bob, our counselor in the back back there.

He's another one.

He walks through that neighborhood.

We'll get in my van and we'll go through that whole area out there.

But I'm not two minutes up because I can continue the talk.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Certainly we uh pay praise God for this privilege of being here as our sheriff's David Robinson, and to all of the other uh public safety and criminal justice committee.

I'm honored to be here tonight, and it's a pleasure in support of uh our chief Terry met her.

Actually, uh, when she first became the commander in the Southwest District, I was really uh not at home when I got a phone call.

My wife said the commander of IMPD Southwest District is here at your house waiting on you, and I thought, what did I do?

But seriously, it really spoke values to her commitment, her community being a community person, but also her character and humility.

She didn't wait for us to go to her, she came to us, and we worked well in the community uh in Hallville, Southwest District.

I was uh actually the president of ex-president, now past president of the Hallville organization, and we had a good work and relationship.

But like Jason Miller said, we not only work together, but we had the opportunity of walking together.

And uh let me just say that uh uh she is uh again a person of integrity, honest uh community person, and we appreciate uh disappointment and being here on this open occasion.

I believe that IMPD is in great hands uh with her leadership, and uh glad to be here.

I think it was about did you come to our church to sing?

Yeah, that's what I hope that he sung.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Pastor Coverty for your service as well.

Final comments from counselors, anyone, council members?

Oh, the fisherman, my name is uh first and foremost, we have honored to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ to uh the chairman and members of the committee.

Again, my name is Aaron Williams.

I'm a proud business owner uh in Hallville and resident.

Um I'm here to proudly support uh Chief Terry in this confirmation uh hearing.

Uh Chief Terry began uh serving as a district commander in the green, the greatest neighborhood in Indianapolis, all the USA and the Southwest District.

Uh but as a business of that community, um, you know, I and my wife, uh we saw firsthand how she has led.

All bill is resilient and engaged.

Um, and as members of that community, you know, we expect accountability from our leaders, and she has consistently delivered that.

Uh she was always accessible.

Uh she has showed up consistently.

And one thing we love about that is when you call her, she always answered the phone, and if she wasn't, she returned those calls.

She's engaged.

Um, she engaged directly with residents, with business owners, with clergy, as Pastor Covenant just said, and with neighborhood leaders.

So she made sure that the community was not an afterthought in public safety decisions, uh, but a partner in them.

Her transparency was grounded in open dialogue and in consistent communication, which we loved about her.

Uh, when she advanced to the chief of operations, that approach did not change, which is something that could change when you can take on a bigger role in you know more leadership.

She continued to prioritize the community involvement and clear communication, even while managing citywide operational responsibilities and leadership scale did not create a distance from the people that she serves.

Her progression from district commander to chief of operations, and now chief of police reflects performance and preparation.

So she understands frontline policing and executive leadership and that depth of experience matters for in and out of the straight now.

And just as we heard today, when concerns were raised about an officer's conduct or traffic style, she addressed it directly.

That demonstrates accountability and a commitment to professional status, which is what we need in our city.

She also provided a steady leadership and clear communication regarding broader concerns about ICE activity in our city and the moments of uncertainty that she's focused on professionalism and clarity.

So it also is significant that her confirmation comes during Black History Month, and she would serve to be the first female chief of police in our city, which I again think she deserves another round of applause for that being happening today.

So that if I may just end with this, for these reasons, I strongly encourage again the members of the city county council of this committee to confirm her and her new role.

Thank you, Chief Terry.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Greetings.

My name is Denita Hoskin, and I'm a longtime resident of the Crown Hill Neighborhood Community where my family has lived since 1952.

I am the president of the Crown Hill Neighborhood Association, owner operator of Harvest Hall Meet Loading Farmers Horn.

I work in collaboration with some amazing residents, and on behalf of those residents, we applaud the public safety committee for having meetings in the evenings and neighborhood sites, and we invite you to have one of the meetings in the Crown Hill community.

In our community, where over 45 residents reside, we were quite concerned when we learned that the former police chief was leaving and a new one was coming on board.

You cannot imagine how thrilled we were to learn that the new police chief was someone who epitomizes the meaning of public servant.

Her genuine and authentic persona of engagement, accessibility, and fairness is what makes her so special and trusted.

We know her as Tina.

What you see is what you get.

Ready to help in the neighborhood cleanups, attend national night outs, and neighborhood meetings.

And as a former North District Officer, she has a very special place in our heart in the Crown Hill community.

So we say to you, congratulations, Chief Tanya Terry.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Anyone else in the audience have a comment tonight on the Chief's appointment?

Chief comments.

After hearing from each of you, uh I'm beyond humbled and proud to be your chief.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for your support.

We cannot do this alone.

And we will continue to work together.

Thank you.

Mr.

Chairman, I move that we send proposal 67 to the full council.

All those all of the person might say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Those opposed.

Motion carry thank you so much.

Thank you.