INDIANAPOLIS — Recently, a series of sweeping changes within the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in an effort to strengthen trust between IMPD and the community and increase transparency in the policing process.
Changes include:
• Implicit Bias Training: IMPD and the Mayor’s Office of Public Health and Safety will bring in nationally recognized experts, who have worked with the Department of Justice, to implement a “training of trainers” program for implicit bias. Implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect an individual’s understanding, actions, and decisions. These biases are understood to be activated involuntarily and without an individual’s awareness. This new program will work to train IMPD officers as well as provide police and community members with the tools to lead implicit bias training. This comprehensive effort will be a first of its kind in the nation.
• Creation of a Use of Force Review Board: IMPD will create a Use of Force Review Board that will review any incident where an officer resorted to the use of force to resolve the issue, be it a physical altercation, use of Taser, or use of firearm.
• Creation of an Office of Diversity and Inclusion: IMPD will create an Office of Diversity and Inclusion to be located within the IMPD Training Academy. This office will include officers and community members with a mission to assess and evaluate the impact of training and operational policies on the community, identify trends quickly, and make necessary changes accordingly.
• Training Curriculum Review and Reform: IMPD will bring in a diverse set of legal experts to analyze the training curriculum for new officers and revise the continuing education that all officers receive, with a strong focus on ensuring that the role of implicit bias is minimized in the way IMPD officers are prepared to interact with residents in this city.
• Community Review of the Citizens Police Complaint Board: The Mayor’s Office will engage community and faith leaders to conduct a comprehensive review of the Citizens Police Complaint Board. While the board has already been engaged with the community, this process will ensure the board is servicing the needs and best interests of all residents in a fair and just manner.