Police Staff Commission Backing Plan

The group tasked with looking at how to add more Indianapolis police is closing in on a recommendation. The Staffing Commission evaluated three models and agreed to move forward with option three.

It calls for hiring 500 officers over the next five years.  Coupled with average retirements, that will mean a net increase of 386 by 2020.

Fraternal Order of Police First Vice President Rick Snyder thinks making those numbers work is a challenge, but possible.

"That will take additional funding and it's going to take fortitude by our elected officials and more importantly by our community, our residents, our citizens to say we are willing to make the investment in our own public safety," he said.  "That means providing more officers, not just on the streets, but in investigations and community policing activities."

Commission members agreed on the model, but are not making a formal recommendation, yet.

They are meeting again over the next few weeks to come up with funding for the proposed hires and once that is determined, will go to the City County Council.

"We need to be thinking hard about looking for all the resources we can put into this effort because a simple - 'well we are going to do a simple tax increase isn't going to work,'" said Council Vice President John Barth.  "It's not going to work for the people of the city.  It's not going to work for councilors  and it's probably not going to work for this commission so we need to think very carefully about how to build this up to be something that can be sustainable."