Church hosts IMPD roll call to pray for police officers before shift

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new trend is beginning for IMPD officers starting their shifts.

Each day they hold a roll call before heading out into the community.

Recently, more community members are asking to be involved in those roll calls.

And with a new push into community policing, the police are welcoming requests by organizations and businesses to host the daily meetings.

Tuesday afternoon, IMPD Northwest District officers had a blessed start to their shift.

“It was very good, the pastor met us there, he gave some words of encouragement, and he prayed with the officers,” IMPD Sergeant Matthew Grimes said.

The middle shift held it’s roving roll call at the Olivet Missionary Baptist Church on High School Road.

And the event came at the request of the lead pastor Wayne Moore.

“It was announced at a community meeting and the pastor was there and asked to have a roving roll call at his church,” Grimes said.

Grimes said these roll calls out in the community are becoming more common and are a welcome addition to the day of an officer.

“Most of the time when you call the police, you’re not having a good day, you’re having a bad day,” he said, “So it’s nice to deal with people on a positive basis, in a social setting that we can introduce ourselves, hey you’re the officer that patrols my neighborhood.”

He said the roving calls provide an opportunity that isn’t available when meetings are held at headquarters like in the past.

“They can say a few words if they like, they get to meet the officers that patrol the area,” he said, “When we’re on a run we might not have the opportunity to speak to citizens.”

And in an effort to reach even more people of Indianapolis, he shared photos on the district’s Facebook page.

“We’re getting very positive feedback from that, people like that, and it shows that the officers are human too,” he said.

Mainly, he said the officers enjoy starting their day on such a positive note.

“The officers are very grateful and it’s nice for the officers to hear positive words of support, kindness, and the community really does support us,” he said.

Grimes said they always welcome offers to host roving roll calls in the Northwest District.

They happen three times a day, but 1:30 in the afternoon is the most popular.

Just contact your district office if you would like to schedule a roll call.