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GOP council members propose funding for Ten Point Coalition

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Some council members are now proposing to restore funding to crime fighting groups to put a stop to the violence in Indianapolis.

Councilor Jeff Coats is the author of the proposal. He told 24-Hour News 8 he is frustrated with the violence in our city. 

“It angers me, it angers many people,” he said. “We should all be very angry about this 149 murders is a record we shouldn’t have broken.”

Coats believes funding crime fighting groups, like the Indianapolis Ten Point Coalition can help to curb the violence. 

Reverend Charles Harrison said he is very optimistic about the outcome of the proposal. He and other leaders talked about putting more resources into high crime neighborhoods to reduce the violence. But he said they can not do it without the funding.  

“We had asked that the city to look at reinstating the five million dollars back into crime prevention,” said Reverend Harrison. “We know that when that did happen in 2009 and 2010 we saw a downward trend in criminal homicides in 2010 we got to 93 homicides.”

Reverend Harrison said he’s meeting with Mayor Joe Hogsett next week to talk about crime prevention. 

“I think the mayor wants to talk with leaders about some of the strategies that can be used to help curb the pattern of violence in our city,” said Reverend Harrison.

The Indy Ten Point Coalition has also seen success in three neighborhoods, including Butler Tarkington, Crown Hill, and the United Northwest Area. 

“I saw the good work that’s being done by the ten point coalition in the three neighborhoods that they’ve been working in,” said Coats. ‘They reduced the murder rate over the past year and a half by 85%.”

Coats wants to direct $400,000 from the accrued interest in the Fiscal Stability Fund to groups like the Ten Point Coalition. Coats said the faith based group and other community groups will have to apply for the grant.

“At least one democrat reached out to me and offered to co sponsor and many of my republican colleagues are on board with this as well,’ said Coats.

Reverend Harrison said he’s glad to know that council members are on board with the idea. He said the funding will help them to recruit residents to patrol and build relationships in high crime areas. 

“It helps us to curb the pattern of violence and that’s what we’re asking for more resources to do is to put volunteers and full time street outreach workers on the streets,” said Reverend Harrison.

Coats said the proposal will be introduced at the council meeting on January 30th. 

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