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State Rep. Robin Shackleford, a Democratic candidate hoping to unseat incumbent Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett in the party primary May 2, unveiled a public safety plan with more than 30 priorities Wednesday afternoon.
Shackleford held a press conference at Dubarry Park, where two teens, 14-year-old Da’Vonta White and 15-year-old Isaiah Jackson, were killed a year ago. She was joined by Sharon Dunson Hatfield, whose 34-year-old son was murdered in 2011.
Shackleford said the violence made it clear that Indianapolis needs change and called Hogsett’s leadership “ineffective.”
“In 2015, Mayor Hogsett promised to put 150 more police officers on the street to protect our families and our neighborhoods like this one,” Shackleford said. “Eight years later, we actually have fewer officers on the street than we did when he took office. In other words, he not only failed to deliver on his promise, he’s actually leading us backwards.”
Shackleford also referenced the death of Herman Whitfield III at the hands of police officers last year. She called for reforms in how the department operates.
“Something needs to change at IMPD. The people don’t trust the police anymore,” she said.
Reform measures
In her role as a state lawmaker, Shackleford co-authored police reform legislation in 2021 in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. She called for changes to increase Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department transparency and officer accountability Wednesday.
In the event of an officer-involved shooting, Shackleford’s plan would require an investigation from an outside authority and the public release of all body camera footage within 48 hours. Officers would be fined for turning off body cameras, in conjunction with the state law that allows them to be charged with a misdemeanor.
A Shackleford administration would develop a city-run app allowing citizens to rate interactions with police officers and upload proof of inappropriate behavior in real-time, she said.
The department would be required to issue annual reports on complaints and institute training on topics like cultural sensitivity and de-escalation.
To build stronger bonds within the community, Shackleford said she would boost programs that connect police officers with youth, like “Officer Friendly.”
Recruiting
Atop Shackleford’s list is reinstating the position of director of public safety. Hogsett’s elimination of the position in 2016—and the consolidation of its duties into the Office of Public Health and Safety—have been highly criticized by Republicans, too. At a recent mayoral candidate town hall, three Republican candidates said they would reinstate the position.
Shackleford mentioned several measures to lure new officers to IMPD as the department faces an officer shortage of about 200 officers.
Hogsett’s administration has been attempting to combat the staffing issue. The department received nearly 30% of the 2023 budget. The administration also passed a $200,000 appropriation to the department for promotional materials to attract new hires.
At the same time, the administration increased starting pay for IMPD officers to $61,829, plus a $10,000 sign-on bonus.
Shackleford said that much of the funding was in COVID-19 relief funds, and that her administration would be tasked with finding longer-term solutions. She said a citywide audit would reveal where more money could be dedicated to the department.
She said her administration would increase starting pay to $65,000. She would also plan to market the jobs to local communities of color, whom she said may have been left out of the initial ad campaign.
Shackleford aims to loosen requirements and provide incentives for would-be officers.
The state lawmaker said she would remove credit checks as a condition of employment; create a review committee to oversee applicants with mitigating circumstances and ensure qualified applicants aren’t inappropriately removed from the hiring process; institute a home-buying assistance program; and work with health care providers to give free physical and psychological evaluations to first responders,.
Shackleford said the home-buying program would better integrate officers into the communities they police. She would also implement a youth administrative internship program within the department, which could help attract and retain officers of color.
Gun violence
Among Shackleford’s listed priorities to decrease gun violence are the creation of a red-flag ordinance, banning untraceable firearms, and the implementation of strategies that will target crime magnets like unregulated clubs and bars and abandoned lots.
Shackleford would also install security cameras, invest in violence-intervention groups, and increase funding for gunfire-recognition technology.
Shackleford’s full list of priorities can be found on her campaign website.
She faces Hogsett, Larry Vaughn and Bob Kern in the May 2 Democratic primary.
On the Republican side, political commentator Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, businessman Jefferson Shreve and former Senate candidate John Couch are running.
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