Merit board’s Aaron Bailey decision sparks 3rd rally

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Mayor Joe Hogsett’s comments got the attention of faith leaders across the state Friday night. 

Hogsett said in a statement he wants to see changes to the Indianapolis Civilian Police Merit Board. On Thursday night, five of its seven members voted to allow two officers to keep their jobs. They had shot and killed the unarmed Aaron Bailey on after he drove away from them during a west side traffic stop June 29. 

Dozens of supporters of Bailey’s family rallied Friday at Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis and demanded the city’s mayor back up his comments with action. 

It was the third rally the religious group, Faith in Indiana, has had this week. It called Friday night’s event a solidarity gathering.

The group called for action and said “enough is enough” when it comes to racial disparity. Faith leaders at the rally called on Mayor Hogsett to step up. 

“I don’t want to put words in the mayor’s mouth,” Brishon Bond with Faith in Indiana said. “I support Hogsett, but I’m also going to hold him to his word. He expressed concern about the merit board and a need for change. It doesn’t make any sense a new administration comes in and keep members from the old administration.”

The rally was personal for Stephen Carlsen, a dean with Christ Church Cathedral, located on Monument Circle.

“The system is broken at every level around race,” Carlsen said. “It broken at the courts. The fact that there were no charges filed. Not even the chief police disciplinary plan could be put in place. It tells us everything is broken about this.”

“When is enough enough?” Indianapolis resident Louis Burgess said. “We have got to take a strong stand and demand some fairness among our merit board system.”

Faith in Indiana officials say their fight isn’t over, as they plan to meet with the mayor’s office sometime next week.