Crime is increasing and as evidenced with the slaying of an 18-year-old Fishers, Ind., resident, crime has no boundaries. It can occur everywhere – including cities like Fishers that are nationally-ranked for their stellar neighborhoods and amenities. Crime is ever-present.
And because crime is ever-present, we need to carefully evaluate the most effective ways to combat crime. Some of the tried and true methods are now tired and untrue. Now is the time to think outside the box in an effort to regain our communities and have safer neighborhoods.
The proposal that Democrats on the City-County Council announced this week is an excellent out-of-the-box idea that will more than likely prove effective after the initial trial period.
Under the leadership of Council President Maggie Lewis, Democrats crafted Safe Neighborhoods Now!, a program that will provide rent-free housing to IMPD officers and sheriff’s deputies in some of the city’s most crime-ridden neighborhoods. The homes would be redeveloped or newly-constructed and after two years of occupancy, the officers will have the option to purchase the home.
The goal is to reduce crime and stabilize neighborhoods and it is a genius of a plan! It makes complete sense and is a win-win-win for the city, neighborhoods and officers.
I have always been a staunch supporter of public servants – especially the men and women who help keep our city safe. I have publicly advocated for them to receive higher compensation and other incentives that offer a modicum of a reward for their life-threatening efforts each day. Safe Neighborhoods Now! is a great incentive for officers – particularly those who are fairly new to public service. I see such an initiative as an extension of the training academy. The program can also be a great recruitment tool in the department’s effort to attract more minority officers.
I commend the council’s Democrats for their out-of-the-box approach toward combating crime. Safe Neighborhoods Now! is a great start that has the potential to really make a positive difference in Indianapolis. However, the one issue I have with the proposal is the decision to launch the pilot program in the Mapleton-Fall Creek area rather than another area that has higher instances of crime. As I stated earlier, crime occurs everywhere, including Mapleton-Fall Creek. However, I believe the results of the pilot program would be much greater if the officers resided in the Martindale-Brightwood area since that particular area includes what has largely been marketed as “the most dangerous zip code” in Marion County.
When one drives through Mapleton Fall-Creek the view is drastically different than that of Martindale-Brightwood. The plight is different and the urgency for intervention is different.
I understand that officers are people just like you and I who want to reside in quality neighborhoods, but if the purpose of this program is to reduce crime and stabilize neighborhoods, wouldn’t it be more effective to start in an area that has the most crime and is the least stable?
If we are truly going to address the ugliness of crime, then we have to get down and dirty in the “ugliest” areas of the city. Then and only then will criminals really take seriously the city’s efforts to thwart their malicious deeds.
Indianapolis’ current murder rate is the highest its been year to date since 2008. We have to go all in to bring the murder rate to a screeching halt. Council Democrats have the right idea and they are on the right road, they just took a wrong turn with the launch site. It’s not devastating enough to end the journey, but it does prolong the trip.
You can email comments to Shannon Williams at shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
