Indiana lawmakers take on Indianapolis crime issues
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — State GOP lawmakers taking Marion County’s crime problem into their own hands.
On Thursday, five Indiana Senate Republicans introduced a series of bills aimed at reducing crime in the capitol city. Make no mistake, this is in response to the city of Indianapolis funding the Bail Project and the record murder rate of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department coverage area.
The five Senate bills come from five Republican senators who represent parts of Indianapolis or other communities in Marion County.
- Bail Project covered bonds of at least 3 repeat offenders, including man accused of stabbing IMPD officers
- Push to add regulations to charitable bond organizations after 3 repeat offenders’ bonds covered
Of the five bills, one requires courts to review arrest warrants before bail is offered. Another restricts charitable organizations, such the Bail Project, from posting bail for people charged with a felony, and requires these organizations to register with Indiana Department of Insurance. Bail and how it’s paid for and set is a big part of the proposed laws.
“The biggest concern that I have heard and a lot of the reporting are about individuals who are violent felons that are getting low bail, reduced bail and are out on our streets and they commit another crime,” said Sen. Mike Young of Indianapolis.
Sen. Aaron Freeman of Indianapolis said, “We are going to eliminate the ability of local governments or any government, if they do give money to a non-for-profit, the non-for-profit is going to be ineligible to post a bond for someone, so any not-for-profit that takes public tax dollars will not be allowed to post bond for somebody to get out of jail.”
The remaining bills create a path for all of the police departments in Marion County to share information and resources; implement stricter standards for electronic monitoring, such as higher fines for an accused person who removes a GPS monitor; and additional staff to oversee the programs.
The final bill creates a pilot program to put more police and resources into high-crime areas.
One Marion County Democrat senator says none of this legislation attacks the root cause of crime.
There was nothing said about how these bills would be paid for.
The General Assembly restarts the first week in January, and the Republicans’ five bills are expected to be heard early, but some changes will be made to the bills before session starts.
News release
“STATEHOUSE (Dec. 16, 2021) – Senate Republicans representing Marion County today announced a package of bills aimed at reducing crime in Marion County and the state as a whole.
“Senate Bill 6, authored by State Sen. R Michael Young (R-Indianapolis), would reduce the number of violent offenders released on bail by requiring courts to review arrest warrants before release, holding open bail hearings and requiring the arrestee to pay the full minimum bail amount in cash.
“‘We have seen far too many violent offenders released back in to our communities with little or no supervision, and it has resulted in the injury and death of numerous citizens and law enforcement officers,’ Young said. ‘By increasing oversight and transparency in how our bail system operates, I believe we can reduce the number of these acts of violence.’
“Senate Bill 7, authored by State Sen. Jack E. Sandlin (R-Indianapolis), would establish a Marion County crime reduction board that would allow for interoperability between law enforcement agencies.
“‘Making sure all of our law enforcement agencies have access to all available information and resources is just one way we can help reduce crime in the downtown policing districts,’ Sandlin said. ‘Communication is key, and I believe allowing everyone involved to work as one entity with common goals is going to push us in the right direction.’
“Senate Bill 8, authored by State Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis), aims to regulate charitable bail organizations by requiring they register with the Department of Insurance. This bill would also prohibit these organizations from bailing out individuals charged with a felony.
“‘In the past year, we have seen numerous violent crimes occur because these organizations are enabling violent offenders to go free and without supervision. These nonprofits need to have some set of standards to follow,’ Freeman said. ‘Under no circumstances should public tax dollars be used to bond criminals out of jail, and if bail is paid by a nonprofit organization, that money should go toward court administrative costs and be deducted from what is returned.’
“Senate Bill 9, authored by State Sen. Kyle Walker (R-Lawrence), would implement stricter standards for electronic monitoring by increasing oversight of those being monitored and increasing penalties for tampering with monitors. This legislation would also allow victims to be alerted if the individual wearing a monitor leaves their designated location.
“‘This bill will codify standards to ensure we are fully equipped to manage the large number of individuals being monitored,’ Walker said. ‘Given the number of times offenders cut off monitors or simply commit crimes while wearing one, we need to reevaluate how this system works.’
“Senate Bill 10, authored by State Sen. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield), would establish a pilot program to distribute funds to high-crime areas to cover overtime and additional services for law enforcement officers. The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute would operate the program.
“‘This program would allow us to target areas being affected most by crime,’ Crider said. ‘By allocating resources where they are needed most, we will be able to have more boots on the ground keeping our citizens safe.’
“The Indiana General Assembly is set to reconvene for the 2022 legislative session Jan. 4.”
News release from Indiana Senate majority communications office
Statements
“Today, the Indiana General Assembly announced plans to introduce legislation during the upcoming session designed to address public safety issues impacting residents throughout our state and specifically for those who call Marion County home. The safety and well-being of our families is of the utmost importance to us. In the coming days we will be gathering details about the potential impact of this proposed legislation. We look forward to continuing our efforts of working collaboratively with all members of The Council, our legislators and stakeholders to address this important issue for all Hoosiers.”
Maggie A. Lewis, Democrat majority leader on the Indianapolis City-County Council
“The State of Indiana is better when our capital city is thriving. Unfortunately, right now Indianapolis is suffering from a public safety crisis. The policies of Mayor Hogsett, Prosecutor Mears and the Democrat city council are not working. We applaud Senate Republicans for making improving public safety policy a priority. We appreciate the effort they have put in with stakeholders, and their proactive approach to be a partner in saving our capital city. We look forward to working with these senators, their colleagues in the Indiana General Assembly, and the Governor to make Indianapolis a safe place to live, work and play once again.”
Brian Mowery, Republican minority leader on the Indianapolis City-County Council; Paul Annee, Republican minority whip on the Indianapolis City-County Council; and Republican councilors Michael-Paul Hart, Josh Bain and Mike Dilk