To the men and women of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, it is our privilege to address you in a single, joint memorandum, because we are of one mind on the issues we address here.
Much has been made in the media and elsewhere in recent days of a supposed rift between the Indianapolis Mayor and the Sheriff about which elected official should primarily be responsible for law enforcement in Marion County. The truth is that each of us has the respect of the other, we treat each other accordingly, and we both want to arrive at a law enforcement configuration that conforms to the justifiably high expectations of the people we serve.
In short, we share a common commitment to providing the citizens of Marion County with the absolute best lineup, leadership, configuration, efficiency, and effectiveness in the realm of public safety.
True, we do have some straightforward differences at to which elected official should be responsible for law enforcement in Marion County. The Mayor believes authority should rest with the Mayor's office; the Sheriff believes the same authority should rest with the office of the Sheriff.
We also have different opinions as to how this question should be resolved. The Mayor believes this decision should rest with the elected representatives of the City-County Council, while the Sheriff believes it should be put to a referendum by the people.
We both agree further that all of you, as well as the public we serve, deserve a definitive answer to this question, and soon. An ordinance filed on behalf of the Mayor two weeks ago, seeking to transfer authority for IMPD to the Mayor, is currently scheduled to be heard on January 30 in the City-County Council's Public Safety Committee. We encourage all of our citizens to participate in the legislative process involving the Committee and the full Council.
For our part, we pledge civility in this discourse and encourage our respective administrations and supporters at all levels to follow suit. This means that we all must continue to put public safety and public confidence above politics, and agree that your efforts and your bravery must be strongly supported as you continue in your important work.
The outrageous and heart-rending events of this past week on Hovey Street--the cold-blooded slaying of children while in their mothers' arms--remind us of the challenges and the evil we must successfully confront together. Our commitment to punish and eliminate this evil means we must stand firm, stand together, do our jobs with all our energy and all our hearts, respect the chain of command as it exists today unless a change becomes law, and continue to forge successfully a single law enforcement department that deserves its place among the best in the nation.
United we will stand against crime, divided and distracted, we cannot be effective. As the Sheriff has said, IMPD is in a "war" to maintain--block by block--a safe, sane, decent, orderly and caring community. With your dedication and commitment, it will prove to have been a war that can be won.
With our thanks and admiration for all you do, we remain.
Sincerely,
Hon. Greg Ballard, Mayor
Hon. Frank J. Anderson, Sheriff,
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Anderson And Ballard Send Memo To Reassure IMPD Officers
Mayor Greg Ballard and Sheriff Frank Anderson sent the following memorandum to members of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to show the two are united in their resolve to combat crime in our city despite their differences over who should control the police department. The memorandum reads:
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15 comments:
Interesting. The word configuration was used twice in the "joint" release. That word scares me.
Do I think that the Sheriff had anything to do with crafting that release? No.
Let's get this over with and let this department get back to work. If there is any attempt to appease or work things out other then placing IMPD under the mayor, stand back. I will venture a guess that it would be akin to all out civil war within the department.
Anderson couldn't have released it. Too many big words. No refrence to flowers or weeds.
Reading it makes you wonder if what they really mean is "don't you dare go and speak at those meetings".
Sheriff Anderson is and always has been a man with the interests of the people at heart. These unwarranted attacks on him by a few are just a symptom of the level and extemism that has invaded the local GOP. Ballard should be commended for his civility.
Frank Anderson, prior to recent years, has been known as a good and decent man, a man I was proud to call my sheriff.
But in the last 2 years or so, this insane pouting over control of the IMPD, is childish and power-grabbing.
And he never misses the chance, in certain audiences, to wonder aloud if this isn't racial. Amos does so daily. Which is disgusting.
The sheriff serves a maximum of eight years. The IMPD survives all mayors and sheriffs.
It's not about you, Frank. It's not racial. It's about the future of the new department. The merger was a smart idea, but the only way Bart could get it past certain councillors was to promise you would have control.
More typical Democratic power-broker racial pandering.
How's that workin for ya now, Bart?
This is not a referendum issue. It's what it always was--a council issue.
Good luck to them.
10:04 is right, anything less than full control of IMPD being placed under the mayors office is unacceptable.
6:43, the merger has been a diaster and was a terrible idea. There were no savings, in fact, an considerable amount of money was wasted.
7:08, you're wrong. Especially when Ballard starts eliminating duplicitous layers of police administration.
Nonetheless, it's the law. Get over it.
"As the Sheriff has said, IMPD is in a "war" to maintain--block by block--a safe, sane, decent, orderly and caring community."
Except those blocks around Peashakes and known drug houses.
Greg Ballard is nothing but another politician. Does it matter if IMPD is run by Frank Anderson or Greg Ballard. They both appear to be arrogant and stupid!
8:45, Yes it makes a big difference.
Under the Sheriff, we have a good ole boy system of leadership and perks. Disipline is used as a punishment, not for corrective action. You move up in that department by kissing up to certain people.
Under the mayor, a Chief will be appointed. Under the Chief, we will have some of the good ole boy system, but no where near the extent of the Sheriff.
The Sheriff is entrenched for at least 4 years. The Chief serves at the will of the Mayor. If the Chief has problems within his department, he may be replaced.
This constrains how far the Chief can go doing what he wants. The Sheriff has no such constraints.
The FACTS are...the men and women of the IMPD have not heard a peep from either the sheriff or chief for over a year.
The only publicity they get is when public pressure (high-visibility homicides, etc.) cause the sheriff to spout one of his poems and declare "war" on criminals, or thereaten them "like dogs."
There is NO leadership in the police department now.
Please, mayor, hurry up before it is too late!!
Was this memo intended for public release? It doesn’t read like it was. Just wondering.
Was this memo intended for public release? It doesn’t read like it was. Just wondering.
No, this memo was not intended for public release!
I found it in my mailbox at home with a note asking me "What can you do with this?"
Send it to AI, thats what!
Thank you, whoever you are!!
6:35.. Sheriff Anderson has NEVER had "the peoples interest at heart". If he did, he would have asked for that referendum over a year ago and let the people decide about the merger in the firt place.
Sheriff Anderson is all about... Sheriff Anderson. How much power he can get, how much money he can get, and who can he promote! The only reason the race card is played is because it's a ready made excuse for failure.
All of the attacks on the Sheriff are very warranted! If Sheriff Anderson was a quality leader, the men and women would support him whole heartedly and you would stand behind your comment, unafraid to show him (and the rest of the world) that you support him.
Frank Anderson is a good and decent man. I know that to be true. I have never heard anyone say different. He is a lousy Sheriff. I've heard many say that.
It qualifies as a public record.
Looked like more of Fankie-poo's propaganda telling officers to stay the he77 away from those meetings!
"Our commitment to punish and eliminate this evil"
Now the police are the punishers?
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