Indianapolis’ Director of Public Safety, Troy Riggs has announced resignation from his position with the department and will serve as director of public safety outreach at IUPUI. Riggs will also teach as a clinical assistant professor with the School of Public and Environment Affairs.
Riggs said there is never a good time to leave but his new position is a tremendous opportunity for him and his family.
“I get to talk to the next leaders of public safety and not just have a class, but have a discussion,” he said. “I get to work with cities that work with organizations to help them become more efficient and implement best practices. I’m extremely excited about this opportunity and I’m thankful to the chancellor and everyone else who made this position a reality.”
Riggs commented that his position is one that holds much responsibility. He will remain as the director of public safety through July. After that time, he estimates he will begin his new position with IUPUI in the beginning of August. At this time there has been no replacement announced for Rigg’s position and he stated Mayor Greg Ballard makes the ultimate decision.
“I will be involved with the mayor but he has the say in who will be the next interim director for public safety for the end of the year. After that point, the new mayor will have their right to make decisions. He (Ballard) has not made a decision at this time. I will say, to the mayor, he gave me the opportunity in this great city and I am thankful he gave me the tools to do this job and grateful he has helped me through this by being very supportive,” said Riggs.
Since October of 2012 when Riggs was appointed director, the City has increased the amount of patrol officers on the streets, the number of civilian officers and identified six focus groups in high crime areas of the city.
“We think we have laid a foundation. A very strong foundation and it sounds like those on the ballot for council will build upon that foundation. When I arrived, there is no secret that moral was down, that the community had lost some trust in the department of public safety and I think that trust has been restored and the 3,200 of the Department of Public Safety are a very supportive community.”
Riggs said he wants to continue in his new position to have a voice in public safety, not just Indianapolis but in Indiana and on a national level as well.
“It’s something I’ve been working on for 26 years and I’m very passionate about it and the quality of life,” said Riggs.
“Troy’s work in Indianapolis has demonstrated his abilities to understand the complexity and the enormity of the Indianapolis public safety division which consists of 3,200 employees, 85 percent of the city’s general fund, and eight different governmental divisions. During his tenure, he has brought budgets under control, saved taxpayers millions of dollars, increased morale of his 3,200 employees, and has been involved in the community in unprecedented ways,” said Melissa Proffitt, Board Chair of the Indy Public Safety Foundation and Office Managing Partner of Ice Miller.
