George Hornedo and Josh Riddick: A safer city: reimagining policing and justice

It’s time to rethink policing and the justice system in America. Outdated policies often fail to keep communities safe or uphold fairness. For decades, Indianapolis has felt this firsthand—over-policing and under-investment have held us back from the progress we deserve. We need a smarter approach that prioritizes alternatives, accountability and community trust.

While violent crime and homicides have declined over the last several years, many neighbors still feel unsafe. The Black Church Coalition has been advocating for continued funding of the city’s gun violence reduction program. It’s making an impact, but many still struggle to see progress in their daily lives.

Beyond the oversaturation of crime stories in the media, the conditions driving community violence remain unaddressed. If we want to break cycles of harm and mass incarceration, we must prioritize poverty, education and opportunity as the foundations of public safety. Quality early education, stable housing and well-paying jobs are essential to ensuring the next generation can thrive.

A safer city must also reckon with how our current legal system makes it nearly impossible for those impacted by incarceration to return to society. Thousands of Hoosiers in the Indiana Department of Correction will face significant hurdles when returning home.

Completing your sentence in a fair legal system should mean fully restoring your rights and a chance to contribute positively to society. Instead, people with felony convictions are often barred from employment, housing and even the right to vote. Indiana has one of the highest rates of incarcerated parents in the nation—hurting families for generations. A majority of incarcerated Hoosiers are there due to mental health or substance misuse disorders. Punishing people repeatedly, rather than helping them, wastes taxpayer dollars and weakens communities.

Indiana must also continue investing in alternatives to law enforcement that serve as real solutions. Programs like Indianapolis’ Clinician-Led Crisis Response model, which deploys trained mental health professionals instead of armed officers for certain emergencies, are showing success. The state took a significant step forward with Sen. Michael Crider’s Mental Health Matters bill in 2023. But Gov.-Elect Mike Braun must ensure continued funding for these efforts, so communities can expand cost-saving alternatives instead of over-relying on police and jails.

Not every emergency requires a police officer with a gun. Over-relying on law enforcement leads to burnout and staffing shortages. Now more than ever, we must acknowledge that the system is broken—and commit to fixing it.

Federal policy change is also essential to creating safer communities. Legalizing marijuana at the federal level is long overdue. Descheduling cannabis, expunging past convictions and investing in equity programs will help undo decades of over-criminalization, particularly in communities of color. These reforms should also restore the civil rights of those unfairly convicted.

We must also pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect against voter suppression, enact the Paycheck Fairness Act to close wage gaps, and ensure federal funding expands home-based care for people with disabilities and seniors. These steps will build a system rooted in fairness for all.

A safer city isn’t just about lowering crime—it’s about ensuring every Hoosier feels protected, respected and heard. By focusing on alternatives, accountability and rehabilitation, we can create a justice system that truly works for everyone.

The time for action is now. Indianapolis deserves better, and together, we can build a brighter future.•

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Hornedo is an attorney, national political strategist and the founder of Next Gen Hoosiers. Riddick is state organizer with LIVEFREEUSA and an organizer with the Black Church Coalition. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com. 

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