Broad Ripple leader: No ‘major issues’ since security enhancements
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Broad Ripple leader says the business district on the north side of Indianapolis is seeing a decrease in crime along Guilford and Broad Ripple avenues after extra surveillance cameras and lights were added this summer.
Jordan Dillon, president of Broad Ripple Village Association, said Wednesday, “Right now, we haven’t had any major issues, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t.”
Security changes came to Broad Ripple after shootings in May and June. An early morning shooting June 25 left three people dead.
Three days later, the Broad Ripple Village Association announced all bars and restaurants would begin closing at 1 a.m. That restriction was later reconsidered, and some bars now still close at 1 a.m. rather than 3 a.m. to make it easier for crowds to disperse.
Dillon said, “Of course, there is always additional things that we could be doing and that we would like to see be done in the area. Right now, these are the things we feel we are actually able to do and can actually get done.”
Chief Randal Taylor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said at a June 30 news conference that the Broad Ripple area is popular for patrons but, unfortunately, also for people who just want to hang out at night. As that news conference was underway, IMPD was setting up added lighting in the area, and cameras for problematic parking lots. News 8 on June 30 also reported plans also were put in place to enforce trespassing in parking lots as requested by their operators.
IMPD tells News 8, though, that its crime data is not broken down into specific neighborhoods such as Broad Ripple.
Despite the changes, some businesses believe the crime problem isn’t completely gone, though.
Austin Turk, general manager of HopCat Bar, believes IndyGo’s Red Line transit-bus route is bringing in unsavory people from other parts of the city to Broad Ripple. He’s seen people do drugs and start fights.
“Sometimes, we’ve had some issues with them bothering our employees, with them just coming in and either spilling their drinks or just acting a fool,” Turk said.
After HopCat closes, Turk says, he makes sure his employees leave in pairs just to be safe. Although nothing major has happened to his staff or customers, he worries patrons may go elsewhere if they don’t feel comfortable in Broad Ripple.
“Why wouldn’t we just go to Fishers or downtown, (with) about the same type of food, same type of stuff?”
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