INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is taking part in this year’s National Faith and Blue Weekend.

The weekend partners the police department with local faith-based organizations to build bridges and break down bias amid violence in the city.

16-year-old Reese Hamilton lives in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood and described the violence around him in two words.

“Tremendously horrific,” Hamilton said. “Those are the two words I can think of. There is no fun here. Sometimes you might have to get on the ground, get up under the bed because you can hear the bullets so close.”

It’s kids like him who are looking forward the weekend’s kick off Youth Town Hall at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on Friday.

It’s an event where kids can come to the church’s sanctuary to talk directly with police about the violence they face on Indy’s streets.

“Far too often, a lot of adults in this world, we do a lot of talking and not enough listening,” IMPD Major Corey Mims said. “We are excited to sit down with the youth today and just hear from them.”

The town hall comes after IMPD investigated 25 homicides where a person under 17 died in 2023.

It’s something Friendship Missionary Baptist Church pastor Ronald Covington says could be changed with better listening.

“I’ve buried too many young people,” Covington said. “It’s a combination of listening and learning that builds trust between the youth and that’s what it’s all about.”

The partnership continues on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. with a car seat safety clinic and resource fair for families.

The clinic will be held at the Firefly Children and Family Alliance and the fair will be at Resurrection Community Church.

On Sunday IMPD’s command staff will visit a church in each of their six districts to build those bridges.

Here’s the full list of churches and pastors they will visit with times:

• Villa Baptist Church – 2650 Villa Ave | Lead Pastor RT Stringer | 11:00 AM  
• Nu Corinthians – 5935 W 56th St | Pastor Terry Webster Sr | 10:00 AM  
• Allen Chapel – 637 E 11th St | Pastor Charles Fontaine Macon | 10:30 AM  
• Resurrection Community Church – 2502 E 38th St | Pastor Orlando Jordan | 10:30 AM  
• Tuxedo Baptist Church – 29 N Grant Ave | Pastor Eddie Smith Sr | 10:45 AM  
• Friendship Missionary Baptist Church – 1301 N Goodlet Ave | Pastor Ronald Covington | 11:00 AM  

“Our faith-based community are key pillars in our neighborhoods and partnering with them helps us build trust within the community.” Mims said. “I believe that sitting down with our youth will help us better understand where they’re coming from.”

Covington is hopeful the weekend will help in clearing up any misconceptions his young congregation has when it comes to the police’s role in the community.