Hogsett: Financial investment is key to stopping surge in gun violence
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Asked about the city government’s solution to gun violence after a deadly Fourth of July weekend, Mayor Joe Hogsett on Tuesday pointed out the $3 million expected to go towards crime prevention in the coming weeks.
“But at least half if not more than half of the total amount, $3 million, will be going to the Office of Public Health and Safety to help with juvenile justice, with domestic violence, with conflict resolution, a lot of the challenges that too often are generating or serving as the genesis of these instances of gun violence, and so hopefully those types of investments will pay dividends over the long run,” the Democrat mayor said.
The funding for these programs has not been approved by the City-County Council, which next meets Monday. The council has yet to post online an agenda for that meeting. The council’s Public Safety Committee gave the proposal a go-ahead for approval in June.
Hogsett says part of the money also would go toward law enforcement and be used to increase their use of data and technology.
News 8 asked Hogsett if he plans on bringing back a director of public safety, a position dedicated to analyzing data and using it to develop policy and engage better police-community relations. The mayor removed the position five years ago.
“IMPD is more data-driven today than it was at any time (when we had that position)…. We’ve just had four or five additional years of greater investments in smarter and more effective data, which our fiscal that will be considered by the council next week, will even further enlarge.”
Statement
“Long-term problems require long-term solutions, no matter how much we may wish that wasn’t the case. Addressing violence in our community, and gun violence in particular, is the top priority for every member of the Council. While individual Councillors may have different ideas about how to move forward, there is zero disagreement about how urgent and important the issue is.
“Following recommendations from the Public Safety and Criminal Justice committee, the Council has approved every investment in public safety brought before it in the past 18 months. I expect nothing different 6 days from now when the Council takes up the administration’s request for an additional $3.3M for technology supports for IMPD and programs to reduce domestic violence and youth crime. Members of the committee were vocal about the need for sufficient time to review the proposal, which they have now received.
“I don’t believe a handful of Councillors discussing violence amongst themselves in extra committee meetings can solve this challenge. Better forums, with broader membership and greater expertise in public safety such as the Marion County Criminal Justice Planning Council, already exist and present plenty of opportunity for convening wider discussions on the challenge of violence in Indianapolis. Our neighbors and loved ones are not dying for a lack of committee meetings. They are not dying for a lack of concern or care. They are dying from a lethal combination of untreated trauma and mental health issues, addiction, deprivation, and ready access to guns. If we want to have a true impact on violence in our city, we have to be ready to face the true root causes.”
Leroy Robinson, chairman, Indianapolis City-County Council’s public safety and criminal justice committee