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In business, chief executives are responsible for the results of their enterprises. The same holds true for the chief executive—or mayor—of Indianapolis. As a career chief executive, I’ve learned you must adapt to a changing environment around you—or you fail.
Indianapolis has seen more than 100 criminal homicides so far this year, putting us on track to exceed 200 homicides for the fourth year in a row. This crisis demands systemic change.
Some people want us to believe every city has these same public safety problems, that chaos on this scale is just part of American life in 2023. But that’s not true.
I’ve met with residents across Indianapolis in all nine townships, business leaders, mental health professionals, public safety leaders and state legislators to develop a workable, realistic plan to make our city safe again. I will start on day one when I take office.
My plan starts with hiring a public safety director. Every mayor of Indianapolis since Unigov has appointed and relied heavily upon a public safety director. This hire will be top-shelf talent, someone who lives and breathes public safety every day and night.
Second, I’ll hire the 300-plus police officers the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department needs and make sure they have the training and support they need to do their jobs. The city has budgeted 1,843 officers, yet we have only 1,528 on the force today, which is fewer officers than IMPD had in 2017. When our police department is fully staffed, we can better engage communities and solve crimes.
That leads into the next point in my plan. We recognize guns don’t shoot themselves, so we must get serious about getting violent offenders off our streets. We must solve cases of violent crime and convict the guilty. Back in 2010, IMPD’s solve rate reached 82.6%. Last year, it was 35%.
Next, we’ll implement an aggressive strategy to combat gun violence. I’ll work with the City-County Council to amend Indianapolis’ firearm discharge ordinance by expanding its boundaries and increasing penalties. I’ll support IMPD in going after these offenders, and fines collected will go toward retaining officers.
We’ll also work with our state Legislature to give Indianapolis responsibility for setting its own policy on firearms. Specifically, we’ll seek to raise the legal age to purchase a gun to 21, repeal permitless carry and ban assault weapon sales.
This point is different from the incumbent because I’ll make it a priority of my legislative package on day one. I won’t shame our rural legislators over policies they choose for their parts of our state as we pursue solutions unique to the crime challenges facing Marion County. The crisis is too urgent for posturing: We must do what it takes to save kids’ lives in our city and give our police the tools they need to bring order to our streets.
Fifth, we’ll effectively address root causes of crime, including mental health. Our city’s current approach is not working, and our most vulnerable residents are suffering because of it.
Finally, we’ll hold people accountable. My office will provide transparency into every aspect of our city’s public safety—including police, prosecutorial and criminal court actions—publicly and online.
I’ll be held accountable for all the points of my public safety plan, because that’s what chief executives do. I only wish I could start today.•
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Shreve, a Republican, is running for mayor of Indianapolis.
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Please tell us which state legislators you have discussed your gun plan with and who will support your gun proposals. That might help you with credibility. Otherwise, it’s all platitudes.
“Specifically, we’ll seek to raise the legal age to purchase a gun to 21, repeal permitless carry and ban assault weapon sales.”
I have 3 questions for Shreve.
1. Do Constitutional rights apply to those less than 21?
2. Does the US Constitution require we have a permit to own a gun?
3. What is the definition of an assault weapon?
PS; 4. What percent of the Indianapolis Metro area who legally own guns use them for crime?
This race is not about national gun laws.
It is about all of the homeless/drug addicted people on the streets, the high crime and vandalism rates and the inability of the current administration to effectively manage and improve conditions so that workers and residents return to the downtown area. The vast majority of the great things happening in Indiana are happening outside of Marion County. Look at the governor and the mayors of those areas that ARE doing well – they are Republican led. We simply cannot withstand another term of Hogsett without our downtown becoming like every other liberal led city in the country.
Give Shreve credit for at least trying to come up with ideas to improve the safety of the residents and workers in the county. I can’t see the age or permitless carry changing – BUT we need a prosecutor who will prosecute crimes and put some teeth into the punishments in order to reduce crime in our city. We need police who will enforce the laws and not be limited by political pressures. We’ve had enough of the “summer of love” mentality from the Hogsett administration. There are 100 families of murder victims out there who likely agree. I hope they will make their voices heard.