UP WHERE IMPD BELONGS
By a vote of 21-8, a bi-partisan group of City-County Councilors gave Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard the first major victory of his administration, control of the police department. Five Democrats joined 16 Republicans in voting to give the Mayor control of IMPD from the Marion County Sheriff.
The Mayor has operational control of the department, while the Sheriff gets to consult on certain policy matters. Despite the agreement, Democrats like Minority Leader Joanne Sanders said the Administration should have provided a financial analysis of the costs of the transfer. Public Safety Director Scott Newman said the costs would be minimal at best.
Newman also said with the city having seen 15 homicides since January 1, and four of them children, it was time to get to the business of fighting crime.
Police Chief Mike Spears called the vote an opportunity for rank and file officers to express their opinions and offer new ideas on how to improve the department.
Meanwhile, Democratic Councilor Vernon Brown might have summed it up best when he said, “This is what the public voted, but remember the old saying, ‘be careful what you wish for.’”
The transfer goes into effect at the end of the month.
The council also voted to approve a new charter school and appointed well-known Libertarians Brad Klopfenstein and Tim Maguire to the Metropolitan Zoning Board of Appeals.
February 11th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
What was up with all the democrats bashing the Charter schools tonight? Aren’t those the same schools that their former leader Bart was so proud of? Didn’t he say in his political ads that, because of his leadership with charter schools education in Indy was so much better?
All the dems could do tonight was tear down charter schools and say how terrible they are doing. Oh, and what’s with this sudden interest in conflict of interest and ethics? Not a peep out of the dems a few months ago, can we all say hypocrite?
REMEMBER NOVEMBER
February 12th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Andre Carson threatened me tonight.
I asked him a question about his vote in the transfer of IMPD back to the Mayor. I asked why his votes were along party line and not based on what was best for the public safety of Indy.
Andre got bent out of shape and told me that I wasn’t going to question him at every CC meeting. I wasn’t being aggressive or disrespectful and I didn’t raise my voice. I simply asked him why he voted along party lines and he took exception.
Andre stated that I was grandstanding and was only craving attention. I tried to explain that I’ve only spoke out about public safety issues but he wouldn’t hear any of it.
Andre told me to get out of the CCB. I asked what authority he had to expel me and he went ballistic.
Gray and Bateman had to get him to calm down. When I told him I would do as I pleased and reminded him that I was at a public assembly in a public building asking questions of a city councilman he said he would take measures to see that I wouldn’t do it again.
Gray overheard all of this and told GaryJ on the way out that one day I would ask the wrong question and someone would take care of me. I think that was a threat too.
Carson can’t take a little heat at a city council meeting without losing his composure and making threats. Why should we believe that he is mentally able to handle congress? I’m not going away and I won‘t stop asking questions.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Spears want our input now? he basically told us to go to hell the last couple years. especially putting micro managers like myers and mcatee in charge. here’s my input. all those idiots out and real cops in charge. new management that will let us do our jobs!
February 12th, 2008 at 2:09 am
Poor IndyErnie should recall Hubert Humphrey’s observation that just because you have freedom of speech, nobody has to take you seriously.
After the last Council meeting, Ernie tried to dog Carson about his religious beliefs. Tonight he tried to bait Carson about a vote the former LEO had taken concerning IMPD. Sadly for Ernie, André Carson refused to be hassled again…
February 12th, 2008 at 3:34 am
Wilson you are right! The actual quote is: The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.
I guess that applies Ernie, Andre and YOU!
February 12th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Wilson said “Tonight he tried to bait Carson about a vote the former LEO had taken concerning IMPD.” When was Andre Carson a “former LEO.” Are you saying he is a former Law Enforcement Officer???????? Really? When did he attend a law enforcement academy? When did he work as a LEO? Where?
February 12th, 2008 at 7:57 am
As a former Sheriff’s Deputy I know that no one doing the day to day job of taking runs wanted the Sheriff to stay in charge. Morale went up the night Ballard was elected because every cop hated the Sheriff and could not wait to get rid of him and his political scrubs!
The CCC made us very happy last night. Only 17 more days with the incompetent leadership of Frank Anderson!
February 12th, 2008 at 7:58 am
He was in the Indiana State Excise Police for 9 years.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Carson has no right to expel anyone from the city-county building…but then, again, Ghost Employment is a felony and Monroe Gray has not been prosecuted……..
February 12th, 2008 at 8:05 am
State Excise Officers only deal with alcohol sales violations, they know nothing about the day to day enforcement of laws and dealing with vic’s or suspects. Excise is like asking a Special Deputy to handle a murder.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Why Andre graduated 88 out of 89 in his ILEA class and went on to a fine job grandmama got him as an excise officer. Not really crime fighting per se. And 88 out of 89th. Wow Andre. That is not saying much . I have seen ILEA classes. Some can be scary.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Chief of Police Mike Spears had HUNDREDS of complaints about officers waiting hours for a prisoner wagon to show up.
Now, all of a sudden, this new move is going to “GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY” to make some changes!!!!
Where has he been the LAST YEAR?
February 12th, 2008 at 8:16 am
You know what they call the guy/girl who graduates last in his/her medical school class?
Doctor.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:22 am
“You know what they call the guy/girl who graduates last in his/her medical school class?
Doctor.”
Better yet – you know what they call someone who graduates last in law school?
Your Honor.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:07 am
lets remember that chief spears has not been in charge, but had to take orders from the sheriff. so at least lets give him a chance.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:31 am
pp & Anonymous Nobody,
Hilarious and yet usually one calls people like that your Honor of Podunk Traffic Court – Midnight Shift, or Dr. Whosit, country Doc (cause we caint git nobody else).
Last in their class rarely makes it to the big house on the hill.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:53 am
“After the last Council meeting, Ernie tried to dog Carson about his religious beliefs.”
Very funny Wilson but not truthful. I asked Carson when he was going to publicly denounce Louis Farrakhan, so far he hasn’t. Silence can be deafening.
“Tonight he tried to bait Carson about a vote the former LEO had taken concerning IMPD.”
Another Wilson Allen lie, I didn’t approach Andre, Andre came to me. I didn’t move two feet from where I had been standing for five minutes. I’ve never considered Carson a LEO. My question had nothing to do with LEO’s.
My question was, “when are you going to vote on the issues and not follow the party line? If you are going to represent the 7th are you going to represent all of the 7th or just those within the democrat party pulling the strings in Washington?”
Pretty simple questions Andre should have been able to answer without losing his temper.
I wasn’t “baiting” funny choice of words Wilson, Andre used the same term last night and two weeks ago. If I were baiting I would have had a recorder or someone observing. I didn’t. I simply wanted Andre to know that the citizens were watching his performance. He put on a show last night.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Andre Carson isn’t ready for Congress.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Isn’t Klopfenstein a lobbyist for the bar and liquor assosiation? hmmm
February 12th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
How can people be surprised about Carson. There was support for his grandmother, and people are still laughing about that. The Wilson’s of this world only exist to bottom feed on the worts of our political system. Think of it as a basket of fruit. Someone always stands in line waiting to get the brused for free.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
From what I’ve been told Brad Klopfenstein is not a registered lobbyist. I asked that question at a Libertarian fundraiser last week.
If he’s not a lobbyist, what’s all the fuss about?
February 12th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
OK Now that IMPD, Public Safety Director Scottie and soon to be assistan Frankie, is under the control of the mayor, things got sooooo much better!?!?! Give it a year, there will be no change. Watch
February 12th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
’07 homicides drop 19% from near-record high in 2006, January 2, 2008
Fewer people died violent deaths in Marion County in 2007, providing measured relief for police and communities still reeling from a near-record wave of homicides the year before. Still, last year’s 124 homicides exceeded every other year this decade except 2006, and police continue to look for ways to attack a crime considered one of the toughest to prevent. “The killing’s got to stop,” said Marrianne Garland, 40, whose anguish is still
February 12th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
“really”
You make it sound like the murder rate going down in ’07 compared to ’06 is such an admirable thing and I guess it would be if someone else was in charge (meaning Bart). But what you are “really” saying is that the mayor went from worst to worse. What does that prove? Has he ever got a job on his own merit? Andre’s always been a puppet and always will be.
Obviously, Andre Carson is a hot head and it won’t take long for that to catch up to him. The question is, do the people of the State of Indiana want to go through that embarrassment if he gets elected.
February 12th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Melyssa, Mr. Klopfenstein should re-read Indiana’s lobbying regulations. They are the weakest in the nation, but his activities definitely qualify for registration. Without question.
If he got a legal opinion otherwise, he got a lousy opinion.
Not to worry, however. Indiana’s lobbyists are regulated by a commission appoitned entirely by the legislature itself. That’s right, fall in line now with your foxes/henhouse comparisons. And Brad’s association has many vested interests in many pieces of legislation. And I’m pretty sure they’re active in the legislaive campaign contributions game. And the word “game” is a polite word for something much less polite.
Until 1989, Indiana’s secretary of state handled such matters. When SOS Joe Hogsett threatened to upset the cozy applecart and start actually enforcing the regs, which is when the legislature promptly pulled those duties from the SOS.
Next time he’s on your show Abdul, which, judging from the past, should be any minute now, ask Bard how much his association members and/or PACD donated to legislators. It should be an interesting answer.
Then tell me he’s not a lobbyist.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Abdul, Tom John, Mayor Ballard, Miss Ann, Bob Turner, Flipper, etc, etc,:
No more excuses. Results.
February 13th, 2008 at 8:52 am
All this wah-wah about “be careful what you wish for” is a gigantic load of sour grapes. The merger as it came off didn’t work, the sheriff and many of his appointees are incompetent (and he himself is probably senile), and crime continued unabated in Indianapolis, resulting finally in the Hovey Street killings and a belated admission that maybe it was time to try something different. All the Dumbs can do now is whine that this new change had better work or you’ll be sorry. Didn’t I know you wankers back in high school?
The bottom line is that if this latest change doesn’t work, we’ll try something else. But having Dumbs sit there and claim there was nothing wrong with the status quo only proves that Dumbs are strictly about holding onto power, regardless of who gets hurt, and regardless of what the people actually want — which was amply expressed back on the second Tuesday of November without any need for a further referendum.
When you Dumbs grow up, maybe we’ll let you play again. But not until.
February 13th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Hey Abbie Dull, 17 homicides.