Indianapolis, IN

Here’s what the 2025 proposed city budget wants to fund public safety

Published

1 year ago

August 17, 2024

Here’s what the 2025 proposed city budget wants to fund public safety

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

Chimpanzee escapes exhibit at Indianapolis zoo, prompting temporary lockdown

Published

9 hours ago

November 14, 2025

Press Room

Chimpanzee escapes exhibit at Indianapolis zoo, prompting temporary lockdown

Updated on: November 14, 2025 / 12:27 PM EST
/ CBS News

A chimpanzee escaped its enclosure and was on the loose at the Indianapolis Zoo Friday morning, but the animal was later located and returned to her exhibit, the zoo said.

“At approximately 10am, a female chimpanzee was seen outside her exhibit,” the zoo said in a statement. “Following emergency protocol, the Indianapolis Zoo was immediately locked down, and all guests were escorted to secure locations. The chimpanzee was sedated and returned to her exhibit.”

Visitors at the zoo told CBS affiliate WTTV they were asked to stay inside the zoo’s dolphin exhibit after the chimpanzee escaped. A photo shared with the station appears to show the chimp standing on top of the enclosure.

The zoo said guests were safe at all times, and there were no injuries to visitors, staff or the chimpanzee.

“The Zoo’s security, animal care and veterinary teams train for these scenarios and responded in a textbook and professional manner,” the zoo said in its statement.

The zoo has since reopened.

One visitor, who identified himself as a bus driver, said on Facebook that he saw the fugitive ape while on a field trip at the zoo with children.

“I’m on a Field Trip at the Indianapolis Zoo with 37 kids, parents, and teachers. Why is there a Chimpanzee on the loose at the Zoo…” the driver, Sherman Williams, wrote.

The zoo housed 21 chimpanzees as of May 2024, according to an identification chart.

Several visitors who spoke to WTHR said they were told to wait in their cars after the incident. Indianapolis Metro Police, State Capitol Police and the city’s fire department were all on the scene, the station reported.

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Indianapolis, IN

Top Games Colts Fans Must Watch During Indy’s Bye Week

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2025

Press Room

Top Games Colts Fans Must Watch During Indy’s Bye Week

Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) pulls in a reception past Kansas City Chiefs safety Nazeeh Johnson (13) in the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Jag — Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) pulls in a reception past Kansas City Chiefs safety Nazeeh Johnson (13) in the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Indianapolis, IN

Here is how Rethink Coalition envisions future improvements to I-65/I-70 South split

Published

2 days ago

November 13, 2025

Press Room

Here is how Rethink Coalition envisions future improvements to I-65/I-70 South split

INDIANAPOLIS — Community members who live in neighborhoods like Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Bates Hendricks and beyond have an opportunity to shape the future of one of Indy’s most transformative infrastructure projects.

Interstate-65 and Interstate-70 Inner Loop, which encircles Downtown Indianapolis, is aging.

“The interstates were built about 50 years ago, and now they’re at the end of their useful life and so that means they have to start being replaced,” Rethink Coalition President and CEO Brenda Freije said.

WATCH FULL STORY BELOW

How Rethink Coalition envisions future improvements to I-65/I-70 South split

The Rethink Coalition envisions a restorative and transformative reconstruction of the Southeast Gateway, also known as the South Split.

The I-65/I-70 inner loop has created a massive barrier around downtown Indy.

Freije says the original highways divided communities, depreciated property values, created health risks, burdened communities and took acres of land from the heart of the city.

“Now people realize that wasn’t the best decision, to displace people, take homes and businesses. Now the attempt is to reconnect,” Freije said.

Rethink Coalition’s vision is to transform acres of under-utilized space and bring this area back to life.

They have three proposed concepts that balance cost, practical feasibility, industry standards and community input.

“What we’re looking at is potentially building a cap over the interstate to reconnect the neighborhoods when the interstate came through. Basically, you build land over the interstate that could become parks, any structures, it helps the interstate disappear, though it continues to operate fully,” she said.

On Wednesday, neighbors participated in an interactive session, where they reviewed designs, shared feedback, and helped refine a shared vision for the project.

WRTV

The third and final workshop was the last community engagement event in the USDOT-funded Southeast Gateway Reconnecting Communities Study.

“It’s just something we feel will improve the quality of life in our neighborhood and really connect Fountain Square with the greater part of Indianapolis. This is going to have a big impact on people’s lives and property values and opportunities everywhere,” Fletcher Place resident Julie Stachnik said. “Especially for urban dwellers, a lot of people don’t have yards. They live in apartments, they have kids, they have pets. Looking for places to gather with family and friends that they don’t have in their home or the building they live in.”

Rethink Coalition is accepting public feedback until the end of the month. You can submit yours here.

They have until the end of the year to finalize and submit their report to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

—
Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.

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