INDIANAPOLIS — Metro Police is currently working on a five-year plan to meet the needs of law enforcement and the residents they serve.
The department is looking for input from the community.
Ona Whistler-Durham is an Indy native who is passionate about improving the relationship between police and civilians.
“A lot of people have given up hope, and they won’t say their opinion, and I’d rather give mine than stay silent because if you stay silent, nothing is gonna get fixed," Whistler-Durham said.
Whistler-Durham voiced her concerns at a Listening Session at the Brightwood Community Center on Wednesday.
“My big thing is mental health services, also pediatric services. Automatically send an ambulance out there just in case someone needs it," she said.
The meeting was the first of seven in each IMPD district.
IMPD is partnering with Taylor Advising to facilitate conversations with officers and community members.
The IMPD Strategic Plan aims to guide the department over the next five years.
It will establish a clear vision, set meaningful goals and create a road map for the future.
“To get a well-rounded plan, they can’t just hear from us. They can’t just hear what we wanna see out of our police department. We serve you every day. We need to hear what we can do better. What have we done well. What can we expand upon," Public Information Officer Drew Brown said.
Officer Brown says his department values transparency during this process.
No IMPD representatives will be present during listening sessions.
“We feel that that will help encourage a more open and honest dialogue. If you don’t want to speak at these events, that’s okay too. We have available the survey that has been live since April," he said.
Here is the anticipated timeline:
- Input collection began in April.
- It will close in June.
- A first draft of the strategic plan will be available for public review and comment in November.
“They’re going to have an opportunity to comment on what they like, what they don’t like from that draft. By January 2026, that strategic plan is going to go active," Officer Brown said.
The next Listening Session is scheduled for June 2 at 6 p.m. at the John Boner Community Center.
