IMPD invited to the Hall of Justice for its efforts to support community policing week
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis - United States Attorney Josh Minkler announced today that the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will once again be recognized by Attorney General Loretta Lynch in the Hall of Justice for their work with officer wellness and safety.
“I am proud to call Chief Riggs and the entire IMPD a partner in our work to help keep this community safe," said Minkler. “IMPD continues to be on the cutting edge of innovation and leadership in the law enforcement field. They deserve the continued recognition and I am happy to be a part of it."
Attorney General Lynch has designated October 2-8, 2016, as the inaugural National Community Policing Week. During that week, the Department will hold its very first Community Policing Awards Ceremony-recognizing outstanding innovators and public servants who embody the spirit of community policing. The ceremony will take place in the Great Hall of Main Justice at 2:00 pm on Thursday, October 6, 2016. U.S. Attorney Minkler and IMPD Sgt. Aaron Snyder will attend the ceremony. For additional information regarding the Attorney General’s Community Policing Awards, please visit https://www.justice.gov/ag/community-policing-award
U.S. Attorney Minkler hosted Attorney General Lynch during her twelve-city Community Policing Tour in April of this year. The tour showcased the innovative work IMPD is doing in the field of officer wellness and safety as part of successful community policing. The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing is organized around six pillars:
Building trust and legitimacy Community policing and crime reduction
Training and education Technology and social media
Officer wellness and safety Policy and oversight
While visiting Indianapolis, Attorney General Lynch met with Mayor Hogsett, Chief Riggs and officers who have benefited from the IMPD Wellness and Safety programs along with counselors and community members who support the program. Many of the officers brought their spouses who described the significant changes they observed in the officers as a result of the job, particularly the impact on the officers’ families. AG Lynch also hosted a roundtable discussion at the IMPD East District roll call and discussed a number of topics including career longevity, stress on the job, procedural justice and officer recruitment.
The IMPD has taken an innovative approach to officer safety and wellness which serves as a national model for other jurisdictions aiming at improving its programs and policies focused on this important issue. The leadership at IMPD recognizes that taking care of its officers and encouraging them to take care of themselves from recruitment to retirement makes for a more professional police department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
