3/9/2005
Media Contact:
Steve Campbell, [317] 327-3622
Jo Lynn Garing, [317] 327-3690
IPD Media Relations, [317] 327-3424 |
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Barker to step down as police chief; Mayor, Director Turner name Spears as police chief
INDIANAPOLIS - Jerry Barker, chief of the Indianapolis Police Department (IPD) for the past five years, will step down as chief, Mayor Bart Peterson and Public Safety Director Robert Turner said today.
Barker will join the Department of Public Safety to work on issues of department efficiency and possible consolidation with the Marion County Sheriff's Department
"Jerry Barker has spent his life in service to our city and our nation," Mayor Peterson said. "His dedication to community and neighborhood policing and building positive relationships with the community is an effort that has become a permanent part of the police department."
Mayor Peterson and Director Turner named Michael T. Spears, currently an IPD assistant chief, as the new chief of the department, effective immediately.
"Mike Spears has deep experience in every aspect of the Indianapolis Police Department and will be a top-notch, professional chief," Director Turner said. "The City of Indianapolis will continue its fine tradition of having great leaders of its police department."
"I look forward to working with Chief Spears to make sure that IPD continues to be one of the best departments in the nation," Mayor Peterson said.
Spears has more than 20 years' experience in IPD and has served in numerous leadership positions with the department, from a beat officer on Indianapolis' southside up to assistant chief, where he has served since 1998.
As assistant chief, Spears was responsible for the management of all patrol, district investigative and special services of IPD, which includes approximately 900 of the IPD's 1,500 sworn and civilian personnel. Before becoming assistant chief, he was an executive officer to the police chief, where he was promoted to major in 1998.
He began his law enforcement career in 1982 as an IPD officer in the South District. He worked this beat for two years and then was assigned as a Planning & Research Special Projects Unit officer. In 1986, after becoming a sergeant, Spears became supervisor of the unit.
He was promoted to lieutenant in 1988 while serving as the administrative assistant to deputy chief of administration. Until 1998, he served in other capacities such as communications branch commander and public information office commander and also was promoted to permanent merit rank of captain in 2000 while serving as assistant chief.
During this time, Spears attended and graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, where he received training in firearms, evidence collection, forensics, police science, photography and other state-of the art police technology.
A 1981 graduate of the University of Indianapolis, Spears received a bachelor's degree in law enforcement.
He is a member of the U.S. Attorney's Joint Terrorism Task Force, IPD Promotional Development Board, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee Race Relations Leadership Network, as well as of the International and Indiana Associations of Chiefs of Police. He currently serves on the advisory committee for the Junior League of Indianapolis and the steering committees for the Indianapolis citywide Weed & Seed and the Indianapolis Violence Reduction Partnership.
He was the recipient of the 2001 William French Smith Award by Attorney General John Ashcroft. The award recognizes State and local law enforcement officials who have made significant contributions to cooperative law enforcement endeavors and objectives. He also received the IPD Medal of Bravery and the Red Cross Bravery Award in 1998.
He and his wife, Sharon, are the parents of four children.
Under Barker's leadership, the department added 200 new officers, made one of the strongest commitments in city history to community policing and pioneered extensive outreach to the Latino community.
Before becoming IPD chief, Barker was deputy chief of the West District since 1994. As deputy chief, Barker was a city leader in efforts to implement and expand community policing throughout his district.
Before becoming deputy chief, Barker was a lieutenant and commander of the IPD Special Operations and Response/SWAT Team. Prior to that detail, he was assistant commander of the vice branch for six years and commander of the auto theft branch for a year.
He started his law enforcement career in 1969 as an IPD officer in the West District. He worked this beat for four years and then was assigned to the vice branch, where he was promoted to sergeant in 1975.
Barker was a sergeant in the U.S. Army's First Armored Calvary Regiment, Fourth Infantry Division, where he was wounded in battle and received the Purple Heart. He left the military in 1968 and joined IPD the following year.
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