Comments on Advance Indiana™: Big Ballard Campaign Contributor Scores Big With Broad Ripple Parking Garage Deal

Meanwhile, we await news of which Ballard campaign...

2011-06-14T17:38:15.887-05:00

Meanwhile, we await news of which Ballard campaign contributor will win the bid to demolish the Keystone Tower apartment building.

An old hand on the local political scene said to m...

2011-06-14T11:40:48.670-05:00

An old hand on the local political scene said to me today, "What has changed? They used to put people in jail for doing that kind of stuff."

If a parking garage is so very much needed in Broa...

2011-06-14T09:59:19.005-05:00

If a parking garage is so very much needed in Broad Ripple, then why does a developer need any public funds?

The Mayor's press release actually says that the City will get the City will get use of space for a police substation 'free of charge', then 2 paragraphs later mentions the $6.35 million contribution of public funds.

What kind of disconnect exists between the 25th floor and reality?

Here's some ideas to address the shortfalls of...

2011-06-13T22:04:08.329-05:00

Here's some ideas to address the shortfalls of the dept:

STOP THE PROMOTIONS. There have been more promotions to Sgt, LT and CAPT than there have been recruits. All probationary supervisors (less than 1 year of their promotion) should be reduced to their previous rank.

QUIT making up positions within the agency that have little to do with public safety. Many programs within the dept such as the OK ptogram, so-called mentoring within the community, PAL and other sociological 'feel-good' programs.

Human Resources- No one is being hired, so why have recruiters and background investigators? Throw them back on the street for the duration of this budget crunch.

Any position which can be civilianized can and should be, Immediately! THis includes a big majority of the "Professsional Standards/Administrative branch".
Good luck trying to get a retired Officer to do the same job as a currently serving one, at a reduced wage-it wont happen.

GET RID OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR position and all of the new hires he has made within the past year. That's well over a million dollars.

Mayor Ballard- This has ALL happened on your watch, directly and by ommission/lack of any leadership by you. You have weakened this agency to one which is all tail and no teeth. Beats go unpatrolled every day. EVERY day. Those who are left operate under a zero-defect mentality made by an egomanical fool, YOUR fool, and apparently, this weakening has finally come due.

So much for "Public Safety is Job #1".