11/7/2005
Media Contact:
Cherrish S. Pryor
(317)327-4245 |
 |
Consolidation Proposal Voted out of Council Committee
(Proposal to be heard at the November 14 full Council meeting)
Indianapolis - Tonight, Council President Steve Talley praised the hard work of the City County Council’s Law Enforcement Consolidation Committee. The committee, created by President Talley in May 2005, first determined that better, more effective and efficient police protection could be offered to the citizens of Marion County through consolidation of the Indianapolis Police Department (IPD) and the law enforcement division of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department. The committee, following six months of study, voted to send the consolidation proposal to the whole Council for final action.
President Talley said, "The amended proposal addresses those concerns presented to the committee during hearings. The changes assure that we enjoy the most efficient and accountable department that can be made available to our residents and visitors to our city."
Key elements of the proposal:
-The Sheriff will head the new Metropolitan Law Enforcement Agency
-A sunset provision for the Transition Authority (all three members constitute a quorum)
-An increase in the membership of the transition advisory committee from eleven to fifteen
-Allows the Sheriff to appoint the executive director of the citizens’ police complaint office
-Creates a 43 member law enforcement steering committee
-Transfers IPD’s and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department reserve officers to the new Metropolitan Law Enforcement Agency
-Provides for continued pension and retirement benefits for members of the new agency.
President Talley said, "This proposal has had more debate and more public input than any proposal presented to this Council. We’ve held 11 meetings and seven of those were open for public testimony."
An independent study authorized by President Talley also recommended that the Council move forward with the police merger. Authority to consolidate into a single county police agency was granted to the Council under Senate Enrolled Act 307 which passed the Indiana General Assembly earlier this year.
The full Council will take a final vote on the amended consolidation proposal (Proposal No. 471) at its Council meeting on Monday, November 14. That meeting will be held in the Public Assembly Room of the City County Building at 7 p.m.
- 30 -
|
