INDIANAPOLIS — Federal funding meant to hire more officers in Indianapolis’ police department has been repurposed to keep the ones they have after the vacant positions went unfulfilled for three years.

Initially earmarked for 100 new officer jobs, the money has been steered toward providing retention bonuses for Indianapolis Metropolitan police after staffing goals fell short and the funding for the appointments expires at the end of this year.

“We shifted those funds because it became clear that we were struggling to get people into the door,” said Asst. Chief Catherine Cummings, who was chosen for her role in February. “I can’t say it any more simply or more directly than that.”

While the change is not a major upheaval in strategy for the police agency, as the city has made multiple attempts to plug the drain of officers leaving the department, the shift in money reflects the continuing challenges Indianapolis police face in beefing up the ranks.

Currently, the police department is 266 people short of the 1,743 officers allowed in its local budget, a gap that’s become typical in the past few years.

An opportunity to increase the number of officers came three years ago in the form of an unprecedented amount of money through the American Rescue Plan Act. The city routed the dollars in 2021 toward its three-year public safety plan, part of which boosted the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s staffing capabilities by another 100 jobs, totaling 1,843 positions.

Context: Here’s how Indianapolis will spend $419M in federal relief money

Indianapolis officials lauded the historic sum of federal money as a critical part of addressing the city’s public safety issues, specifically, record-breaking homicides.

Now, that staffing goal is being scaled back, with the department resorting to its initial target of 1,743 officer jobs — an objective that hasn’t been reached in at least the past 17 years, according to police data, even when the agency reported its highest number of officers in 2020.

The city has tried to combat the shortage for years by continuously boosting the department’s budget and officer salaries, including Mayor Joe Hogsett bumping first-year officer base pay last year to $72,000.

But Indianapolis’ police department, and agencies across the country, are facing a “historic” hiring and retention crisis in the “wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, a tightening labor market, heightened community frustration with the policing profession, and concerns about officer safety and well-being,” according to a report published last year by the U.S. Department of Justice.

“We are working very hard to overcome that,” Cummings said. “Everyone is struggling to hire, which is why we have to get more creative about our messaging.”

‘More proactive’ recruiting

To bring in new faces, the police department has recently embarked on a “more proactive” approach to recruiting.

Patrol officers at each of the police department’s six districts will host open houses for residents to learn more about joining the ranks.

Prospective applicants can talk with officers directly to learn more about the job, sign up for a ride-along and meet members of the agency’s various units, including the K9 Unit, Indiana Crime Guns Task Force, bomb squad, detectives and more.  

Using patrol officers to recruit is the latest move to come out of the department to fill its staffing gaps, a duty that’s historically fallen to top brass. The initiative stemmed from conversations among members of the Southeast District, which includes the neighborhoods of Fountain Square, Twin Aire and Christian Park. The district’s first recruiting event took place in late March.

“Our upper administration (wanted) to bring the community closer, so why not have it in the heart of the community at roll call where (people) can come in here and talk to any veteran officer they want?” Officer Douglas Lepsky said.  

To learn more about becoming an Indianapolis officer, visit indy.gov/activity/become-a-police-officer-with-impd. Possible applicants interested in joining but not ready to make the jump, learn more by visiting JoinIMPD.Indy.Gov.

Contact reporter Sarah Nelson at sarah.nelson@indystar.com