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.
WRTV
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.
WRTV
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.
WRTV
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.
WRTV
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.
WRTV
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.
by:
Gregg Montgomery and Kelsie Gibbs
Posted: / Updated:
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indy Parks on Saturday will unveil the restoration of longstanding fountains, a project almost two years in the making.
The fountains were already shooting water among newly landscaped walking paths on Wednesday afternoon at the Garfield Park Sunken Garden.
City planner and landscape architect George Kessler designed the Sunken Garden and the adjacent Garfield Park Conservatory, which was built in 1916 at 2505 Conservatory Drive.
Funds for the $3 million restoration project were part of an $80 million Lilly Endowment grant issued to Indy Parks in late 2022 for projects at 42 Indianapolis parks.
The Friends of Garfield Park, a group devoted to the south-side park, oversaw the project to restore the concrete walls and plumbing, and add color-changing lights to enhance the look of the fountains.
The group hopes to raise an additional $1 million for the upkeep of the fountains.
A news release issued Wednesday said a recognition event and a ribbon-cutting, free and open to the public, were scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday. Due to storms in the forecast, the event could be delayed or canceled.
Indianapolis, IN
That trail you walk downtown? It’s generated $3 billion for Indianapolis, study finds
See the 10th Street Cultural Trail Expansion ribbon cutting ceremon
Highlights: Indiana Ave. and 10th Street Cultural Trail Expansion ribbon cutting on Indiana Ave. on Thursday, June 20, 2024, in Indianapolis.
Since its creation, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail in the heart of Circle City has drawn millions of residents and visitors to its distinctive paved path. But according to a new report, the trail isn’t just beneficial for those looking to get out on an urban stroll or bike ride — it’s a driver for the city’s economy and quality of life.
The report, “Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick at 20: Connecting People, Places, and Possibility,” was based on analysis by James Lima Planning + Development, a group of real estate, planning and economic development advisors. Here’s what to know about the report.
How has the Cultural Trail affected the city’s growth, development?
According to the report from 2026, the 10-mile trail has generated $3 billion in assessed property value around its path — money that supports the city and its governmental services.
The population along the trail has grown five times the city average and retail space near the trail has increased 39%, the report shows. Nearby food and beverage sales are almost twice the average per square foot in Indianapolis.
Additionally, the report shows, undeveloped land along the trail has the potential to add $1.4 billion of value in the near future. Since an initial study in 2015, the trail’s economic impact has grown from $1 billion to $3 billion.
“For nearly 20 years, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail has helped transform Downtown Indianapolis into a more vibrant, connected and economically competitive city,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a June 3 news release. “It is more than a trail. It is a nationally recognized public asset that drives investment, supports local businesses, connects neighborhoods and improves quality of life for the people who live, work, play and stay in our city.”
According to the report, over 1 million people use the trail each year, and almost half of downtown Indianapolis residents live within a three-minute walk of the path.
What other features does the Cultural Trail offer?
Users of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail aren’t limited to walking — the Pacers Bikeshare program, operated by the trail, has 57 bike stations throughout the city that are accessible 24/7.
The trail also features nearly six acres of plants and greenspace, offering locals and visitors an urban getaway. City planners from across the world have visited the trail to study its design, according to the report.
What is the future of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail?
Focus on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail has shifted from construction and maintenance to long-term operations and expanded resources for the public.
Kären Haley, executive director of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. — the trail’s nonprofit — said it has grown into the “crown jewel” of the city with the growth and development it has created over two decades.
“The Cultural Trail is driving billions in investment and making surrounding neighborhoods thriving destinations,” she said in a June 3 news release. “As we enter the next phase for the Trail, we look forward to building upon our initial 20 years of impact.”
Mia Thurow is the breaking news and criminal justice reporting intern for the Indianapolis Star. She can be reached at mthurow@gannett.com.
ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
-
Louisiana42 seconds agoLouisiana among states selected to receive federal funding for rare earth projects
-
Maine8 minutes agoSix Maine food producers win Good Food Awards
-
Maryland10 minutes agoSpotted lanternflies are reemerging in Maryland. Here’s what to know.
-
Michigan16 minutes ago2 historic Michigan lighthouses to split $120K in preservation grants
-
Massachusetts23 minutes agoKaren Read files lawsuit against Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police
-
Minnesota26 minutes agoSchool bus company’s inspection history in question after kids hurt in Hamline University crash
-
Mississippi31 minutes agoFerris, West to discuss Mississippi folk artists at UM Museum – The Oxford Eagle
-
Missouri38 minutes agoAmerican Shaman agrees to suspend kratom sales in Missouri
