Indianapolis, IN
IMPD partners with the Indianapolis Colts to help drive recruits
INDIANAPOLIS — A big partnership for IMPD in its efforts to recruit more officers.
The latest numbers show IMPD is short almost 300 officers. Officials hope working with the Colts will help them score more recruits to serve the city.
Colts center Ryan Kelly spent his evening at the IMPD training academy with Pre-Academy Reediness (PAR) participants. The PAR program helps prepare candidates for the physical and mental demands of training camp.
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Kelly is from Cincinnati, Ohio. His father served with the Ohio State Police Officer for more than 30 years before retiring.
Kelly’s message Tuesday night was it takes a special person to wear the badge and Indianapolis needs you.
“The reason you would be here today is because somebody believed in you along the way, that you would be a good fit for this community to make it better. Right? There’s crime, there’s violence no matter where you go, but the right people on the right side of the law are the ultimate ones that bring the community back together,” Kelly said.
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As of now, there are 1,455 sworn officers with IMPD. The department is budgeted for 1,743 sworn officers.
IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said having the Colts on board to help with this effort may be the push they need to bring more folks on board.
“The Colts have a nationwide audience. Every Sunday when they’re in town, there are 65,000 plus people in there. We have some advertising in the scout magazine that you see every weekend at the Colts game. It’s another opportunity for us to reach a large group of people,” Bailey said.
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According to IMPD, Colts fans will see IMPD recruitment messages featured on outdoor marquees during select games, in publications like the Colts Scout and Yearbook, and hear radio spots on 93.5/1070 The Fan, as well as 97.1 Hank FM.
Additionally, IMPD recruiters have had a visible presence at various Colts games and in American Family Insurance Touchdown Town, giving them a chance to connect directly with community members who may be interested in a career in public safety.
Kelly stuck around to help participants in the training academy with their workouts.
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The most recent city budget includes a four percent increase for IMPD and much of that money will go towards the department’s recruitment and retention efforts.
The starting salary for new IMPD officers is around $72,000 a year.
IMPD’s push to hire has been going on for a while.
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About two years ago, the department put billboards up in cities in other states, including Detroit and Cincinnati, encouraging anyone interested in a law enforcement career to “make a move” to Indianapolis.
If you are interested in joining IMPD, visit JoinIMPD.Indy.gov and apply.
Indianapolis, IN
Storm chance today, then turning hot and humid through midweek
TODAY
Mostly cloudy and muggy with scattered showers around at times, and thunderstorms becoming more likely this afternoon. Highs reach the low 80s, with a light east wind. Much of the morning still looks manageable, but by later today a few storms could become stronger, especially across the southwest half of central Indiana, with locally heavy rain and gusty winds the main concerns.
TONIGHT
A few showers and thunderstorms may linger through the evening before coverage gradually fades later tonight. Lows settle in the upper 60s, with a light northeast breeze. It will not rain all night everywhere, but the evening still carries enough of a storm threat to keep a weather eye nearby.
TOMORROW
Partly sunny, warmer, and much less active. Highs climb into the mid 80s, with a light south wind around 5 mph. After the unsettled Saturday, this looks like a far more usable day for outdoor plans, and most of central Indiana should stay dry from start to finish.
TOMORROW NIGHT
Partly cloudy and warm, with lows in the low 70s and a light south southeast breeze around 5 mph. Humidity stays elevated overnight, so it will feel a bit more summerlike than recent nights. Quiet weather continues.
MONDAY
Sunny and hot with highs pushing into the low 90s. A south southwest breeze around 5 to 10 mph keeps the air moving, but the bigger story is the heat and humidity building in. This looks like the hottest day so far this season, and heat index values over 100 are possible during the afternoon, so outdoor plans will need extra water and more breaks.
MONDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and warm, with lows around the mid 70s. A light south southwest breeze continues overnight, and there will be very little cooling after sunset. It stays dry, but the muggy feel hangs on.
TUESDAY
Sunny and even hotter, with highs in the low to mid 90s and a light southwest breeze around 5 mph. This is another day where the heat becomes the main impact, and it will not take long to feel it during the afternoon. Outdoor work and summer activities will need to be paced carefully.
TUESDAY NIGHT
Clear and warm again, with lows in the mid 70s and a light southwest wind. The air remains sticky overnight, and there is still no meaningful rain signal for Indianapolis.
7 DAY FORECAST
After today’s storm chances taper away, the pattern flips quickly toward heat and humidity. Sunday looks quieter and warmer, then Monday through Thursday all trend hot with highs in the 90s and heat index values over 100 possible at times. Rain chances stay very low through midweek, with the next better chance for storms not returning until Friday. Overall, the bigger concern after Saturday becomes summer heat rather than repeated storm chances.
Indianapolis, IN
Man’s body found in White River in downtown Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A jogger heard splashing from the White River near the Indiana University Indianapolis campus on Friday night and called 911.
About an hour later, three divers with Indianapolis Fire Department found a man’s body about 15 feet from the shore, and six feet down, said Battalion Chief Rita Reith.
Crews were called just before 7 p.m. Friday to the intersection of University Boulevard and Blake Street. That’s near the National Institute for Fitness and Sport, and the NCAA Hall of Champions in downtown Indianapolis.
It was not immediately known why the man was near the river.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources will work to locate the man’s family.
IFD said this is the ninth fatal drowning in Marion County in 2026 and the second in two days.
Indianapolis, IN
Fred and Friends Traveling Tavern brings dirty soda craze to Indianapolis with alcohol-free menu
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Fred and Friends Traveling Tavern is broadening its appeal this season by introducing a new alcohol-free menu geared toward younger guests, joining the popular dirty soda craze sweeping the nation.
Previously focused on the 21-and-older crowd, the tavern has expanded its offerings to include customizable dirty sodas, loaded lemonades, and Alanis—largely thanks to inspiration from 14-year-old staff member Rylynn Bradley, daughter of manager Lindsay Bradley.
“We’ve had the tavern for a couple years now where we cater to our 21 and over crew, but we’ve kind of noticed a need for those under 21,” Lindsay Bradley said. “They want to come up and get a slushy, you know, hang out with mom and dad.”
The tavern offers a rotating selection of drinks featuring about 20 different syrup choices, including both zero sugar and regular soda options.
Among the customer favorites are:
- Dirty Cotton Candy Alani: A vibrant mix of blue raspberry, edible glitter, cotton candy Alani, and cotton candy cold foam
- Bomb Pop: Combines cherry, Sprite, and blue raspberry-infused cold foam for a refreshing taste
“It’s so customizable, which is what we really like about it,” Lindsay said. “You come up, you see the syrups, you see the soda. If you want a drink, we’ll make it.”
Teen Inspiration
Rylynn Bradley, who helped inspire the menu expansion, says working at the tavern has been a valuable learning experience.
“It is such a great opportunity. It helps me learn how to do new things and try to work on my communication skills a little bit better,” Rylynn said. “It’s really fun and it’s one of my favorite things that I do.”
Friends of Fred Network
Fred and Friends Traveling Tavern is part of Friends of Fred, a local network that helps food trucks in the Indianapolis area connect and support each other.
“We all network together, we look out for the best of one another,” Lindsay said. “That’s what you get with Friends of Fred.”
The timing of the expansion coincides with National Food Truck Day, though weather challenges reminded the team of the unpredictable nature of the business.
“The weather has completely derailed almost everybody’s plans today, so that’s food truck life in a nutshell,” Lindsay said.
Where to Find Them
The tavern will be at White River State Park for the upcoming drone show event, serving both its alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink selections.
For those interested in connecting with the Friends of Fred network or finding the tavern’s location, visit the Friends of Fred Facebook page. Look for trucks displaying the “Friends of Fred vetted member” sticker.
Along with the new alcohol-free dirty soda selection, the tavern continues to offer slushies, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, catering to a wide range of tastes throughout the Indianapolis food truck scene.
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