Indianapolis, IN
Here’s what the 2025 proposed city budget wants to fund public safety
![Here’s what the 2025 proposed city budget wants to fund public safety Here’s what the 2025 proposed city budget wants to fund public safety](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/08/13/PIND/74776525007-mp-finals-15513.jpg?auto=webp&crop=2999,1687,x0,y0&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Unique opportunity for Indy––Eiffel Tower comes to town
A replica Eiffel Tower is erected at the corner of Georgia Street and Capitol Avenue ahead of the U.S. Olympic Swimming trials.
INDIANAPOLIS — At the city-county council meeting Monday, Mayor Joe Hogsett said public safety has been one of the highest priorities over the last eight years and will remain so for the 2025 proposed city budget.
Totaling $1.6 billion, public safety initiatives account for 41% of the allocated expenses of the 2025 proposed budget at $637 million. Hogsett said that 2022-2023 saw a 32% decrease in criminal homicides.
“And the number continues to trend downward in 2024,” Hogsett said. “Effective today, we are down another 8.2% from this very same day one year ago.”
2025 proposed city budget: COVID rent aid will expire, Georgia Street gets upgrade in proposed Indy budget
Indianapolis police and firefighters
The budget includes money for 1,743 officers, a goal that the department has tried to but failed to reach since 2019. To meet that goal, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will add a third new recruit class.
There will be a continued investment in technology for the department’s license plate readers, public safety cameras, dash cameras, and body-worn cameras.
Funding would also go toward purchasing a new mobile traffic safety command center, new car printers and scanners for one-third of the department’s patrol officers, and investments in IMPD’s non-sworn personnel to fill professional and technical positions, shifting seven officers back to police work.
Indianapolis Fire Department would get $258 million — about $3 million more than last year— to maintain its 10-year fleet replacement program, fund a new arson unit and build new fire stations. This includes a budget for a recruit class in January 2025.
Violence prevention in Indianapolis
Hogsett said the plan will continue to fund 24/7 staff for its clinician-led community response teams in both downtown and the east IMPD district to divert people in a mental health crisis from the criminal justice system. Other proposed funding includes:
- Investing in community programs to help reduce homelessness, treat addictions, and address mental health challenges.
- Funding a master leasing program for 42 additional units for unhoused individuals and families as part of the 200-unit project created by the Mayor’s Office housing initiative.
- Violence reduction and intervention initiatives managed by the Office of Public Health and Safety, including the Witness Protection program, and the Group Violence Intervention program.
- $250,000 continued funding for the Tenant Legal Assistance Project and the Eviction Avoidance Project with Indiana Legal Services.
- Increased funding for community mental health centers operating in Marion County.
Criminal justice initiatives
Hogsett’s budget also allocates $313 million toward criminal justice expenses including:
- Funding for Forensics Services Agency to outsource a subset of cases, allowing them to reduce processing time on firearm and sexual assault cases.
- Funding to support recruitment and retention programs in the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
- Additional investment in technology to improve communication and jail maintenance in the Adult Detention Center.
- Funding the debt payments associated with the soon-to-be-opened Forensics and Coroner facilities, as well as the Youth and Family Services Center, all of which will replace outdated and inefficient buildings.
Infrastructure and community investment
The budget allocates nearly $200 million for roads, bridges, and other greenway improvements across Indianapolis neighborhoods in 2025 with more than 30% of funding across the 5-year capital plan to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.
- $68.4 million for stormwater system improvements across neighborhoods in 2025.
- Additional personnel dedicated to trail maintenance as a result of the historic $50 million investment through the Circle City Forward initiative and Lily Foundation grant.
- $7 million in grant funding for the Department of Parks and Recreation to build an archery range at Riverside Adventure Park and additional funding for park beautification.
- Increased local funding for animal care supplies to reduce reliance on donors and investment in professional kennel cleaning to free up staff to focus on animal care.
- Technological investment to improve the Mayor’s Action Center request portal for increased transparency between citizens reporting concerns and the City’s progress toward alleviating them.
Funding would also support the creation of a safety ambassador position for parks. The goal is to begin developing a program dedicated to the enhanced public safety in parks.
It would fund a position in the Department of Public Works to begin developing a program dedicated to enhanced public safety in parks and implementation of the Vision 0 plan to help eliminate all serious injuries and deaths from traffic crashes.
Public safety and criminal justice committee
City-county council committees are reviewing the budget before it’s voted on this fall, and the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee met Wednesday, Aug. 14 for its first round of discussions on the Marion County Coroner’s Office, Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency and the Office of Public Health and Safety.
They will vote on the budget at a later date with the final budget vote happening later this fall.
Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formally Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
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Indianapolis, IN
Caitlin Clark shares hilarious reaction to Indianapolis hosting 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
![Caitlin Clark shares hilarious reaction to Indianapolis hosting 2025 WNBA All-Star Game Caitlin Clark shares hilarious reaction to Indianapolis hosting 2025 WNBA All-Star Game](https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/08/16173519/caitlin-clark-all-star.jpg)
Fueled by the hype around Caitlin Clark, Indianapolis has become the de facto epicenter of the WNBA this year. That will likely be the case next year as the city gets ready to host the 2025 All-Star Game, meaning the entire league will be in town for the game.
What did Clark have to say about that? It’s safe to say she’s excited – but the Indiana Fever star also joked about the buzz that’ll come along.
“I’ll be hiding,” Clark said with a smile. “I’m just happy I’ll be able to sleep in my own bed if I’m lucky enough to be an All-Star again. I would not have to sleep in a hotel room, not have to travel. I think that’s what I’m most excited about.”
Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell were the Fever’s three representatives in the All-Star Game this year. They helped lead the charge as Team WNBA defeated Team USA in Phoenix, and Clark made some history along the way. She and Angel Reese became the first rookie duo selected to the game since 2014.
Now, Indianapolis will get to experience the excitement of the All-Star festivities. Clark said it speaks to how the city embraced the WNBA as the league soars in popularity. That commitment, she added, will also help organizers put together a fun weekend.
“Honestly, I’m really happy for our organization and our franchise and the city of Indianapolis,” Clark said. “I think it’s a testament to how they supported us to begin the year. The first 26 games, we’ve had a ton of fans on the road, have a ton of fans at every single game at home. It’s been sold out. You can just feel the buzz and excitement. I don’t think there was a better place for the All-Star Game to go next year – I think everybody knew that.
“I know they’re gonna do everything they can to make this All-Star the best there has ever been in WNBA history, and I think that’s something that’s easily gonna be accomplished because they’re gonna spend a lot of time and resources into making it special not only for the athletes that are gonna be chosen to represent their franchises, but for the city that has given so much and our fans that have given a lot. I’m excited, even though it’s a year away.”
Of course, Caitlin Clark isn’t getting ahead of herself and planning to play in the game – although if she can keep her success going, there won’t be much doubt. That isn’t the case for her family, though.
No matter what, the Clark will be in attendance in some way, shape or form.
“I’m sure my family’s already planning. Who knows?” Clark said. “I’ll be there one way or another, whether I’m there or not, I guess. I live a minute away. I can walk here.”
Indianapolis, IN
1 dead, 1 critically injured following north side crash
INDIANAPOLIS — A woman has died, and another woman was critically injured as a result of a crash on the north side of Indianapolis on Friday afternoon.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department North District officers responded to the intersection of E. 62nd Street and N. Meridian Street on reports of a crash just before 1:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers located two vehicles that had crashed, a sedan and a passenger van.
IMPD says the sedan was traveling southbound on N. Meridian Street when it struck the passenger van, which was believed to have been travelling eastbound on E. 62nd Street attempting to cross the intersection.
The adult female driver of the sedan was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where she later died, IMPD says.
The adult female driver of the passenger van was transported to a local hospital where she remains in critical condition.
The driver of the passenger van is cooperating with investigators. Intoxication is not a believed factor in this case.
WATCH | Indiana’s latest headlines
Latest Headlines | August 16, 12pm
Indianapolis, IN
IndyFringe star promotes festival, 'stabs' WISH-TV's Scott Sander (not really)
![IndyFringe star promotes festival, 'stabs' WISH-TV's Scott Sander (not really) IndyFringe star promotes festival, 'stabs' WISH-TV's Scott Sander (not really)](https://www.wishtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/16/Taylor-Martin-stabs-Scott.jpg)
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Ten days of shows, smiles, and sleight of hand are underway in Indianapolis. The IndyFringe Theater Festival is the annual celebration of an eclectic mix of performers and artists in downtown Indianapolis.
Magician Taylor Martin is one of the mainstays of the event. He has performed at nearly all of the Fringe Festivals since the first nearly 20 years ago.
“I’m one of the few performers that was there at the beginning,” he told us during a prestidigital appearance on WISH-TV’s Daybreak. “I didn’t know if we get past the first year. We had shakeups and everything else. It was just like show business, and you know everything in show business is crazy. And then when they said the second year, ‘Do you want to be in it again?’ OK! And so I’ve done 14 of the 19 years,”
Taylor is back again, this time with a Sunday show he calls “An Hour Wasted.”
Martin’s show is at the IndyFringe Basile Theater at 719 E. St. Claire Street.
The other venues throughout the ten-day festival are the District Cabaret on Massachusetts Avenue, the DK Stage on Brookside Avenue, and the White Rabbit Cabaret on Prospect Street.
Martin says his spartan performing schedule for this festival is already letting him enjoy the event as an audience member. “I saw my first show last night! Tim Mooney. He does ‘Breakneck Twelfth Night’. He does Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ in one hour.”
In addition to the formal theater shows, Martin says, “There’s probably five or six other places (where) street entertainment will be happening, and it will be fun.”
Organizers say there are at least 70 unique shows, through Aug. 25. To find times and locations, click here.
Martin closed his Daybreak interview with a bit of historical hocus-pocus that included an (allegedly) centuries-old relic and a stab to the heart of the (somewhat skeptical) host.
Watch the full interview above!
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