INDIANAPOLIS — IMPD’s newest recruits spent Thursday morning giving back at the Moorhead Community Resource Center on the city’s east side.
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The 34th Recruit Class toured the facility from 8:45 to 10:30 a.m., organizing supplies and setting up areas ahead of the center’s Summer Back to School celebration on July 16.
Recruits assembled school supplies and helped plant a garden so families in need can grow fresh vegetables, center officials said.
‘They’re part of our team’
Rijenna Murray, program coordinator at MCRC, said having officers volunteer helps change how families view law enforcement.
“To see an organization like IMPD serve us means everything because a lot of times families don’t get to see officers positively,” Murray said.
She said it’s important for students and families to see police as partners in the community.
“So we want to make sure that we’re showing them that officers work hard too,” Murray said. “They want to give back, and they’re part of our team providing services. They are part of the culture of serving our families as well.”
Recruits: ‘Eye-opening’ look at community needs
Konner Kinder, a member of the 34th Recruit Class, said the visit gave recruits a clearer view of local resources.
“Being here at the Moorhead facility, it’s really eye-opening, and it gives us a taste of the reality,” Kinder said. “What we get to do is give back to the community. This is a good inside picture to see the reality of resources we’re able to provide the families and the places they can be referred to if they really need a helping hand.”
IMPD said policing involves more than enforcing laws. The department said it’s also about understanding community needs and building relationships with the people they serve.
The Moorhead Community Resource Center’s Summer Back to School event is set for July 16. The event will provide school supplies and connect families to local services.
