LAWRENCE — For the first time, the city of Lawrence is led simultaneously by a Black mayor and a Black police chief. Lawrence is the only city in central Indiana where two African Americans are serving in those roles at the same time.
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Mayor Deb Whitfield said she recognizes the significance of the moment.
“I’m breaking barriers, that's leading the way for others behind me,” Whitfield said.
Police Chief Curtis Bigsbee echoed that sentiment.
“Never thought in a million years that this would be possible,” Bigsbee told WRTV.
From the police department to the mayor’s office, city leaders say the moment is unprecedented.
“To have a Black police chief as well as a Black mayor is unheard of,” Bigsbee said.
Whitfield is the first Black mayor in Lawrence and the first Black mayor in Marion County.
“It never dawned on me that I would be the first,” Whitfield said. “I'm very proud and humbled; humbled that I have this opportunity.”
Just down the street from the Government Center, Bigsbee is also a first in his department’s history.
“I was the sixth African American that was hired on this police department,” he said. “To see that evolve into having a Black mayor as well as a Black chief, it means a lot."
Both leaders say they are focused on making changes in the community.
Whitfield, who has decades of experience in healthcare, launched “Live Longer in Lawrence,” an initiative aimed at improving residents’ health outcomes and life expectancies.
“There's an eight-year difference from the top of Geist down to 42nd and Post," she told WRTV. "We’re making sure our policy, our public safety, anything that we do circle around and encompass, Live Longer in Lawrence."
Bigsbee is now in his 21st year with the department.
He was appointed Chief in 2023 by then-Mayor Steve Collier and reaffirmed by Mayor Whitfield when she took office.
He said he is working to strengthen operations from within.
“My background was in finance, and so one of my biggest things was to look at the finances of the department, see what we can do to upgrade our equipment, technology,” he said.
Another priority is the continued effort to increase diversity in the department.
In one of Indiana’s most diverse cities, both leaders say they hope their presence sends a message to young people.
“You can do whatever you wanna do as long as you put your mind to it, you put the hard work in,” Bigsbee said.
“If you see it, believe it," added Mayor Whitfield, hoping to particularly inspire young girls to seek roles in government.
When asked what she hopes her legacy will be, Whitfield said service is at the center of her answer.
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Naja Woods is the In Your Community senior reporter for Lawrence/Hancock counties. She started her journalism career in 2019 after graduating from Knox College in Illinois. She’s always looking forward to making a difference by empowering the diverse communities throughout the area and helping share their unique perspectives through storytelling. Share your story ideas and important issues with Naja by emailing news@wrtv.com.
