Criminal homicides in Indianapolis decreased by 16.3% in 2022 compared to 2021, and there were 13.7% fewer nonfatal shooting, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced Jan. 24 during an update to the city’s anti-violence plan.
Hogsett joined Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, among other groups, to discuss the status of the Gun Violence Reduction Strategy.
The three-year strategy, which Hogsett announced in fall of 2021, identifies those who are at high risk of being involved in gun violence and attempts to prevent retaliatory shootings. This includes law enforcement investments such as $9 million in policing technology, 100 new IMPD officer positions and up to 40 IMPD civilian positions covering non-emergencies.
In 2022, violence reduction personnel intervened in nearly 700 instances of potential violence while outreach teams made approximately 1,350 referrals to resources. Nearly 100 people considered at risk enrolled in a violence reduction fellowship, which connected them with resources and mentorships.
“I am grateful for the progress we’ve made reducing criminal homicides during this first full year of the three-year strategy,” Hogsett said in a statement. “But to speak about our progress is not to diminish the challenges that remain or the anguish families still experience after acts of criminal violence. It only means that a holistic approach — one that involves neighbors, community organizations and law enforcement — is working, and it must be continually improved for even better results.”
The program is funded by $150 million in American Rescue Plan funds and aims to address root causes of violence. The city has allocated $45 in violence prevention grants and $30 million in mental health resources, along with funding for 50 Peacemakers who “engage with those at risk of becoming perpetrators or victims of gun violence.”
“After a focused commitment to national best practices for violence reduction, Indianapolis is seeing a drop that bests the national average and many of its peer cities,” David Muhammad, executive director of the National Institute of Criminal Justice Reform, said in a statement. “But that just means we’re on track — we’re not at the finish line. That’s why we’re reflecting on what worked, what needs to be better, and moving forward to achieve better results in 2023.”
The decrease in criminal homicides represents the largest proportional decrease since the incorporation of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in 2007, according to a press release.
Contact staff writer Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848 or chloegm@indyrecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @chloe_mcgowanxx.
