Police union on Hogsett crime plan: Evildoers play for keeps, politicians play government
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The rank and file members of the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police on Thursday voted unanimously to declare the city is in a crisis of crime, violence and confidence.
“Let me be clear: Contrary to what was stated yesterday we are not in the middle of a public health crisis. We are in the middle of the public safety crisis,” said Rick Snyder, President of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 46.
The vote is in response to Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s latest crime reduction plan, calling for $3 million in new public safety spending, but with more than half of the money headed toward programs that are not part of law enforcement.
Snyder said Hogsett has missed the mark.
“When was the last time you heard the mayor talk about locking somebody up? We don’t talk about that anymore, but here is the deal. Our politicians are playing government, they are out here playing ‘West Wing’ or the ‘House of Cards’ while our evildoers are playing for keeps,” said Snyder.
Hogsett said on Thursday that he meets with the president of the police union every couple of weeks. According to Snyder, that is true with one detail left out.
“You are darn right he does because I am constantly in his ear begging and demanding he take action. He was elected to be the public safety mayor,” said Snyder.
On Friday morning, after Hogsett spoke at an anti-gun violence rally on the far east side of Indianapolis, I-Team 8 asked him if he had heard from the FOP.
“Well, I look forward to sitting down with Rick and going into greater detail. I wasn’t able to do that before yesterday’s announcement but as I said to you yesterday, he and I get together reasonably frequently,” Hogsett said.
That was the only question the mayor would take from I-Team 8.
Snyder said the police union supports the mayor’s increase in spending on technology, but they are asking for gunshot sensors in the downtown area and license plate readers.