[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6502911,"mediaKeyId","5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee","parentId",5690335,"title","Public safety committee rejects changes to General Orders Board and curfew fines","audioSeconds",3109,"startMs",72000,"endMs",3181000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee&start=72&end=3181","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee/thumbnail_72000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6502911/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Public-safety-committee-rejects-changes-to-General-Orders-Board-and-curfew-fines","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502911-96145ec8c916a48f352886fadcf3c139/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436831&Signature=J6RnI6VyPNZOfFufupBUkHhKj6crEJC4sHGPvrKFYgeZZ7yGsPOZL5WiQEf1T8wUWYriQo8qTus-Ized1IRM5x7xsb1KYxtyagQIJ8ksZxUYNX1Ryzyp0O0ZPPRScmWGieiCTlyTpIAPWL3vLtLcQaUFI1KrqQITfOjZ~1tjzv3eNi1lR0DLcjf6lr0RG4vrYz8B4um8ew42JJyYgR9m73KWixfwOOVwIm26zqoJXKmZ1IqTavf64v~AdUkiUdpaouCtegHCN3pO3ZT6Ncdq9PA6Ngr0841VLSQdrDNvxO1KNenVo2W2V4zXTEYBmrnqEJBAKu035ROhoIZqbPf5jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Indianapolis, IN","date","2025-08-27T00:00:00Z","article","Proposal outcomes: The Indianapolis City-County Public Safety Committee on Aug. 27 voted down two measures that would have changed oversight of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department policy-making and added civil fines tied to juvenile curfew violations.

The committee rejected Councilor Michael Paul Hart’s ordinance to convert the General Orders Board into an advisory board so the police chief would have final authority to create, amend or rescind general orders. Councilors debated officer morale, community voice and the board’s origin in 2020 reforms. Councilor Hart, the proposal’s sponsor, said the changes were requested by rank-and-file officers and community leaders and were intended to “give the chief the agility to adapt when things do arise.” Councilor Hart added that officers had told him they “feel that their hands are tied, unable to act decisively, when circumstances demand it.”

Opponents said the 2020 board created a public check after national protests and that changing it would remove a formal community role. Councilor Carlos Perkins opposed the measure, saying the board was created in 2020 in response to national calls for accountability and that “if the concern is about quorum, it is my understanding that under this new leadership this year, when the board have met, that they have had quorum.” Councilor Krista Carlino, who helped lead establishment of the board, said the board preserved community oversight while allowing the chief to act in emergencies.

Chief of Police Randall Bailey, who addressed the committee, said he would follow whatever law the council adopts and stressed his desire for “transparency, accountability, and collaboration, both for our community and our officers.” He told the committee that modernization of the department’s policies is a priority and warned that long gaps between board meetings had hampered operations in the past.

Vote on the General Orders Board proposal (2-44-2025): The chair called for a roll-call vote. The clerk recorded a 3-yes, 8-no result and the motion failed. Named recorded votes in the transcript: Yes — Councilor Boehm, Councilor Michael Paul Hart, Councilor Maury. No — Councilors Boots, Krista Carlino, Kelsey Delaney, Keith Graves, Frank Mascari, Jessica McCormick, Carlos Perkins, Leroy Robinson. (Motion outcome: failed.)

Juvenile curfew enforcement and parental fines: Councilor Hart’s second proposal would have added an enforcement sequence to the juvenile curfew ordinance: a written notice for a juvenile’s first offense, a civil fine of $500 for a second offense and $1,500 for a third offense, with citation and court processes available for repeat cases. Hart said the intent is to create “a level of parental accountability” after the council recently adjusted curfew hours.

Opponents called the fines regressive and potentially discriminatory. Councilor Kelsey Delaney and others urged caution and asked for data showing repeat offenders; Hart acknowledged that existing data are limited because officers historically did not cite many curfew cases and said the new ordinance would help create records going forward. Several councilors and public commenters suggested alternatives such as mandatory parenting classes, expanded diversion, or stronger prevention and youth programming rather than steep fines.

Vote on the juvenile curfew amendment (2-45-2025): The committee took a roll-call vote after public comment and discussion; the motion failed on a committee vote. The transcript records the final outcome as “motion has failed to pass 2-45-2025.” The clerk’s roll-call read portions of the vote; the transcript does not contain a complete, verified tally for every member. (Motion outcome: failed; final vote tally not fully specified in the committee transcript.)

Why it matters: Both measures were framed as responses to rising concerns about public safety, officer recruitment, and youth violence, but they prompted conflicting views about where accountability should sit — with elected leaders and community representatives, or with the police chief and department leadership. The council’s decisions preserve the existing structure and pause imposition of the proposed fines while signaling appetite for further study and possible state-level interest, according to Councilor Hart.

What’s next: Sponsors suggested continued work and outreach. Councilor Hart said he would pursue further conversations and warned the state legislature was watching the local debate. Several councilors asked for more public input, firmer data on curfew incidents and possible alternatives to fines.

Votes at a glance (formal actions recorded in the committee transcript):
- Proposal 2-44-2025 (amend Chapter 2.79, Division 9 — General Orders Board → advisory): Mover/second not specified in transcript. Vote recorded in committee transcript: 3 yes, 8 no — outcome failed.
- Proposal 2-45-2025 (amend Chapter 3.81 — juvenile curfew, parental enforcement fines): Mover/second not specified in transcript. Committee outcome recorded as failed; full roll-call tally not specified in the available transcript.

Public comment and context: Public testimony at the meeting included supporters of empowering the chief (including a letter cited by Hart from several business leaders) and opponents who urged preserving community oversight and caution about civil fines for families. Several speakers, including local legal-aid attorneys, later addressed eviction diversion and tenant advocacy during a separate budget presentation (see separate coverage). The police chief said he was not advocating a particular structure but emphasized the need for predictability, training and prompt policy updates.

Documentary evidence: The committee transcript shows the proposals introduced and the roll-call action; excerpts and the clerk’s roll-call statements are in the meeting record.

Ending: The committee’s votes preserve the current General Orders Board structure and defer action on civil parental fines for juvenile curfew violations, while members on both sides urged further outreach, data collection and continued debate.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council of Indianapolis, IN - Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The Indianapolis City-County Public Safety Committee voted down two measures on Aug. 27 that would have changed oversight of police general orders and added civil fines for parents of juveniles who violate curfew.","taxTitle","Indianapolis City, Marion County, Indiana","taxId",3627,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502900,"Regional mental-health centers describe expansion, workforce needs and new CCBHC funding",1521,6790000,8311000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee&start=6790&end=8311","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee/thumbnail_6790000.jpg","/articles/6502900/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Regional-mental-health-centers-describe-expansion-workforce-needs-and-new-CCBHC-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502900-5a8b4eeb9e03ad62d7536796ea750f3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436831&Signature=J7QhzEilUPDlOjX2Mz3Xswzd~8msVWHpu2nUpH-DaqwQ2WAecn7YNxG-ImYb~hwL3DSZuMTptNN3jRGF3mSAx3Z8wDCu5S4n87gEFYRxMJ8dc-UWwAFK1xf2Sq4ikAMSxGAsqyJ~YjEWMd1-OWRbYPRH-Gn1mrpWTEJ~ERhhxgM-YhXQB-4cNUXtae4fLS8SgGwwkbO9HTWgqNypn~diyHzqvk6IIAqL34Om08yTSLCcKDBpzceVgbmcUVRSjT1idwju9WbjZwUNRE1ni22sAG-LPD5YS5pJLPEiyIes3pdwvfeDWykXsLtTWyaygmliALvoF-4db8waTIkqIVWEfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Four regional community mental-health providers briefed the City-County Public Safety Committee on Aug. 27 about treatment access, workforce challenges and a federal-state program to expand behavioral-health funding.

George Hurd, vice president for behavioral health at Community Health Network, represented the group and described county funding rules and braided revenue streams that community mental health centers (CMHCs) use to serve higher-need patients. Hurd said county tax levies that support centers are set by state code and estimated county funding in this budget cycle at about $8.7 million, but warned that those dollars usually are combined with state and federal funding to provide full-service care.

Hurd said the state’s CCBHC (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) demonstration program — a federal/state-backed financing model that pays centers on a cost-report basis rather than strictly fee-for-service — should expand access and improve workforce pay. Two Marion County providers were early CCBHC demonstration sites and the group urged continued local support to take advantage of new funding streams.

Service size and gaps: The providers reported serving more than 61,000 individuals last year across outpatient care, medication-only services, intensive community-based care and residential services. The four centers said they provided more than $28 million in charity care and that treatment demands were expanding for both mental-health diagnoses and substance-use disorders. Centers also noted substantial housing instability among clients — roughly one-third of clients reported residential instability on intake, according to the presentation.

Workforce and training: The speakers told councilors CMHCs together employ roughly 2,300 staff in Marion County and that workforce recruitment and retention remain their primary operational constraint. Hurd and others described a Behavioral Health Academy and pathways to grow and train clinicians, including care-coordinator career ladders and partnerships with area universities, to fill clinical roles.

Outcomes and system goals: Hurd said CCBHC reimbursement models elsewhere have shown improved access for children, uninsured people and people seeking substance-use care and that better funding could let local centers scale mobile crisis teams, school-based services and crisis stabilization without driving down staff pay or service quality.

Why it matters: Mental-health and substance-use services are closely tied to community safety, homelessness and reentry outcomes. Committee members asked how the centers coordinate with OPHS, hospitals and mobile crisis teams; Hurd said the centers collaborate and use county dollars as local match to pull down additional state and federal funds.

Ending: Councilors thanked providers and encouraged improved data collection and coordinated approaches to workforce development and residential capacity.
","Representatives of Marion County’s four community mental-health centers told the City-County Public Safety Committee on Aug. 27 that access has grown but workforce shortages and housing instability limit capacity.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502905,"Office of Public Health and Safety outlines $27.97 million 2026 budget, highlights violence-reduction and tenant aid",4816,10563000,15379000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee&start=10563&end=15379","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee/thumbnail_10563000.jpg","/articles/6502905/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Office-of-Public-Health-and-Safety-outlines-2797-million-2026-budget-highlights-violence-reduction-and-tenant-aid","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502905-ab98bb4d083708e57954df6d0a4619c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436831&Signature=ZS62ep2ChL96x8yDDegV7Qw7FwKaxxLhJPRCe7qC3w55eQCk4-SRoN0tPNBiQwYM-GYb-FxxeqIW1OW~ywghPqynnigVtdUqyvXPTlbDIIrvh69iRzpRKMTFGJEYdboISVh8jTs4szK33EEl3WMYuTQ8nzPMvVmaC9uix37ZVsgauRgOJp4L4mkwhpw0TLbX8~8RgRO9nDscDAM4BRar8Fe55zMce13MSsw96lHEQ4bALFTZwOv1JmQ2OMSq5uZf-XP2RuLKGz4ZCn~FPLN7n7NrpeEMU7t8WLaubtULi5LraR7G09a5NOgo0dR9jtzS4XptVqtGlmnHRsXVdsWe-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS) presented its 2026 budget proposal to the City-County Public Safety Committee on Aug. 27, asking the committee to approve a $27,974,790 package of consolidated county funds, federal grants and opioid-settlement dollars while describing program outcomes and planned priorities.

Carla Duffy, OPHS chief financial officer, told the committee the total introduced budget by fund is $27,974,790, comprised of $22,504,231 in consolidated funds, $4,470,559 in federal grants and $1,000,000 in opioid settlement dollars. Duffy said the introduced 2026 budget represents an overall reduction from 2025 of about 2% (roughly $516,002), or nearer 4% if an approved TAP request of $500,000 is excluded.

Director Andrew Merkley said the agency’s portfolio includes violence-reduction programs, reentry services, the Assessment and Intervention Center (AIC), the Release Lobby at the Community Justice Campus, food-access programs and eviction/tenant assistance. Merkley highlighted the city’s Gun Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS), noting a reported 50% reduction in murders and nonfatal shootings in the city since the program’s launch; he credited coordinated investments, partners and targeted outreach.

What OPHS asked for and will spend: Duffy described key program budgets and shifts.
- Consolidated county funds: $22.5 million (primary operating fund).
- Federal grants: $4.47 million (including Byrne grants supporting behavioral health and NDPs activities).
- Opioid settlement funds: $1.0 million (to support behavioral-health data infrastructure and services).
- FTE: OPHS proposed no change to its staffing count (35 FTEs), though Duffy said some titles and grades were being adjusted for equity.

Program highlights and outcomes: OPHS reported that its divisions collectively provided tens of thousands of contacts last year — an OPHS summary cited more than 65,000 behavioral-health and crisis contacts and more than 61,000 unique individuals served across the county by the four community mental health providers. The agency said it provides 162 school-based behavioral-health services locations, 27 outpatient clinics, 151 acute psychiatric beds, detox and residential capacity and a countywide grocery-access program (LIFT) that has helped more than 169,000 household food deliveries.

OPHS also described a county-run Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP) and eviction-avoidance work. Merkley and Duffy said TAP is being expanded and the 2026 introduced budget includes an additional $500,000 for the tenant program. OPHS said the Release Lobby — which opened 24/7 in 2022 to give people released from custody access to transportation, hygiene supplies and navigation services — has connected people to housing and employment; reentry staff have worked with landlords willing to accept people with justice-involvement backgrounds.

Crisis response and behavioral-health expansion: OPHS noted progress in building mobile crisis capacity and electronic health records for the Assessment and Intervention Center and the clinician-led community response teams; Duffy said a federal Byrne behavioral-health grant will fund a new data platform to coordinate services between AIC, REC, CLCR and MCAT teams.

Budget pressure and priorities: Duffy said character-3 contract and services spending was reduced by roughly $584,946 from 2025. The Rubin/Assessment and Intervention Center consolidated budget was shown with a $1 million reduction offset by $1 million in opioid settlement funds. OPHS plans to continue community-oriented procurement and to build more rigorous program-level data collection and outcome tracking, Merkley said; he added OPHS will administer grants including Byrne awards and Elevation grant funds managed by partners.

Public testimony and community reaction: Several representatives from legal aid programs and food-system nonprofits addressed the committee after the OPHS presentation. Speakers urged the council to preserve or increase city funding for tenant legal assistance, immigrant legal-services grants and food-access programs. Highlights of public comment included:
- Tracy Pappas, managing attorney, Indiana Legal Services: said TAP provides tenants with representation and helps prevent cascading harms from eviction. She cited that eviction disrupts families, school and health and said legal counsel in court levels the playing field.
- John Florencic, Indianapolis Legal Aid Society: said the TAP program connects eviction prevention to broader public-safety outcomes by reducing instability and overcrowding.
- Hannah Cartwright, Mariposa Legal (immigration legal services): urged the council not to cut the $100,000 immigrant legal-services fund, warning of immediate impacts if funding falls.

Council response and next steps: Councilors praised many of OPHS’s programs but expressed concern about budget cuts and asked for additional detail in some areas. Councilor Carlino said the proposed reductions give her pause given OPHS’s role in violence prevention. Councilor Perkins asked about OPHS’s internal culture and whether the department was prepared to implement program changes; Merkley responded that leadership had worked to rebalance workloads, regrade positions and improve data capacity. Several councilors asked OPHS to return with more program-level data and clarified plans for winter-contingency sheltering, eviction diversion and Streets2Home housing placements.

Why it matters: OPHS oversees programs that city leaders say address root causes of violence, homelessness and food insecurity. The proposal includes spending tied to both immediate services and investments intended to expand coordinated crisis-response and housing capacity; councilors will consider the introduced budget as part of the full city-county budget process.

Ending: OPHS will provide additional program-level data and follow up with the committee on winter contingency plans, TAP program metrics and the operational details behind the budget adjustments.","The Office of Public Health and Safety presented a 2026 budget of $27,974,790 to the City-County Public Safety Committee, emphasizing the city’s gun violence reduction strategy, eviction-prevention work and expansion of crisis-response services. Staff and public speakers urged continued funding for tenant legal aid and immigrant legal services.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502895,"Marion County clerk briefs council on office revenue, records facility costs and election clarification",384,6185000,6569000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee&start=6185&end=6569","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5690335-f2ba0584c94767878c6bfaef8f4154ee/thumbnail_6185000.jpg","/articles/6502895/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Marion-County-clerk-briefs-council-on-office-revenue-records-facility-costs-and-election-clarification","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502895-eeb74dee1441968df5127b3f9e2a793e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436831&Signature=nbuZToBWtv5otAZ4NCySIZeaM7T42g639K8kp-EZD5PepXe4QhM0REzIRpc4bxe85rk6QtGpShfJXAKjqO~zB2TvdLndcu9SgBY5JZ0~~4wMUQgP2i0vAtNRBqnAE4sk25RdB71Jfjyd0lO3FIYfYF3WvIyTGLI9mz3TWHWOGm9pTpmr9PKVJtjmXBL9norUOTAt-t-1H5wLnAZo1RR83LicwXU-yhoA57vdXWEIVT6p2~GR-yPp6LrtZaz~qnidZuNXW8Zp~3AQ8Nb2ufHbApl5HPz57B0rCh-MzyibCThiVGjaIbB~Ln3jDWt5pDwMuffGuyrBBFEYnaXmz86SDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Marion County Clerk Kate Sweeney Bell presented a brief overview of the clerk’s office workload and budget-related items to the City-County Public Safety Committee on Aug. 27.

Sweeney Bell told the committee that through June 30 the clerk’s office had processed more than a quarter-million requests and received over 75,000 payments covering bonds, court fees, garnishments, sheriff sales and bond payments. She said the office manages many statutorily dictated fees that are earmarked across state and local funds rather than going to the county general fund.

Sweeney Bell corrected the public record for a prior budget meeting in which she inaccurately described Utah’s voting system; she clarified that eight states automatically mail ballots to every registered voter but that those states also permit in-person voting. The clerk apologized for the earlier error and said she wanted to make the record accurate.

On budget specifics she told the committee the office expects a 5.63% decrease in character-1 (personnel) spending in the introduced budget, while character-3 (contracts and services) will increase because of an expiring lease for the clerk’s records facility. She said some positions remain funded but vacant and that the office is not cutting staff salaries.

Why it matters: The clerk’s office collects and processes large volumes of court and election-related payments and manages court records. The expected lease increase for records storage is a driver of near-term contract costs in the office’s budget.

Ending: Committee members asked follow-up questions about staffing and the clerk said that vacancies drove the character-1 decrease. The committee did not take a vote on the clerk’s budget during the hearing.
","Marion County Clerk Kate Sweeney Bell briefed the Public Safety Committee on administrative activity and the clerk's 2026 budget priorities, including a correction to a prior comment about other states' voting processes and an anticipated increase in records facility lease costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public safety committee rejects changes to General Orders Board and curfew fines

Regional mental-health centers describe expansion, workforce needs and new CCBHC funding

Office of Public Health and Safety outlines $27.97 million 2026 budget, highlights violence-reduction and tenant aid

Marion County clerk briefs council on office revenue, records facility costs and election clarification