Ballard veto hints at plan to increase police on streets
Instead of freeing up $6 million in Rebuild Indy funds for new recruits, city officials will soon debut a plan to move 100 officers from desk jobs to patrol, according to the mayor.
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Councilors poised to ban criminal-history question
Democratic City-County Councilor Vop Osili said he expects to draft a “ban the box” ordinance this spring or summer.
Officials express confidence in Indy 500 security plan
Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials and Indiana State Police feel good about their security plan for this year's Indy 500 and won't remove trash cans from the track in response to deadly blasts at the Boston Marathon.
Safety chief says more security likely at events
Indianapolis will increase security at upcoming events such as the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and Komen Race for the Cure, but spectators likely won’t notice the changes, Troy Riggs said.
Indiana mayors want law for cold-med prescriptions
Local officials from around Indiana are making a push for the Legislature to require that people obtain a doctor's prescription to buy cold medications often used to make methamphetamine.
Arson damages at Indy Catholic church reach $400K
Indianapolis Metro Police Department Sgt. Linda Jackson said Wednesday that heavy smoke damage had increased the damages from an early estimate of $15,000.
Indiana House panel backs sentencing-laws overhaul
A sweeping plan to overhaul Indiana's criminal sentencing laws cleared its first hurdle in the Legislature on Wednesday with the support of law-enforcement groups that had scuttled similar efforts the past two years.
Senators propose guns on campus, expanded access
Sen. Jim Banks of Columbia City has proposed allowing students to carry firearms on Indiana's public university campuses. Sen. Dennis Kruse of Auburn wants a bill that would exempt guns made exclusively in Indiana from federal rules and regulations.
Ballard: Riggs a ‘great choice’ for public safety director
David “Troy” Riggs, who was officially named public safety director of Indianapolis on Tuesday, said he wants to increase the number of police officers on city streets.
Sheriff’s office defends keeping Anderson, Cottey on payroll
Former sheriffs Frank Anderson and Jack Cottey are each being paid $35,000 per year by the Marion County Sheriff’s Department for advice and work on budgeting, jail operations and other issues.
Indiana legislators want to defend immigration law
Three state senators say Indiana's attorney general effectively nullified their votes when he opted not to defend sections of a state immigration law he said were rendered invalid when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down similar sections of an Arizona law.
Ballard’s budget omits funds for police, fire recruitment
The Republican mayor's administration also is trying to renegotiate scheduled 3 percent pay raises for officers and firefighters for $5.5 million in budget cuts.
Error renews questions about Indianapolis police
A fresh revelation about the mishandling of evidence in a fatal crash involving an Indianapolis police officer prompted the city's police chief, Paul Ciesielski, to step down Tuesday, and left Public Safety Director Frank Straub being grilled by a city-county committee Wednesday night.
Still no decisions on Indiana smoking, police-entry bills
Legislators finished work Wednesday without an agreement yet on just how comprehensive a statewide smoking ban they might adopt and without the support of a major police group for a proposal laying out when residents might be legally justified in using force against police officers.
Daniels signs new penalties for sex trafficking
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels signed a law Monday giving prosecutors more tools to battle human sex trafficking ahead of this weekend's Super Bowl.
State sentencing overhaul to take another year
Legislators stung last year by county prosecutors who opposed a sweeping plan to overhaul Indiana’s criminal sentencing scheme won’t push the issue this year. Sheriffs now are worried that an attempt to reduce crowding in state prisons could aggravate overpopulation in their jails.
Ballard fulfilled some pledges; others fell by wayside
The Republican mayor says he curbed crime, made government transparent, and pushed for property tax reform. His Democratic challenger says Ballard didn’t make good on repealing an income tax increase, hiring hundreds of police officers, or making education a top priority.
Former City-County Councilor’s trial set to begin
Lincoln Plowman, also a former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department major, is accused of using his official position to collect $6,000 for helping to grease the wheels for a new strip club.
Sheriff’s department concerned about budget crunch
Officials from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department say they are concerned that a $10 million gap in this year’s budget will hurt their ability to pay critical bills.
State launches program to help employ ex-offenders
The state is launching an initiative aimed at helping ex-offenders find jobs, particularly with large businesses that tend to have the most trepidation about hiring them.