INDIANAPOLIS — Shaina Moore is a member of the 19th recruit class, and if all goes well, she'll be among the first IMPD officers to experience a major increase in pay.
That comes from Mayor Joe Hogsett and Chief Bryan Roach's initiative to grow recruiting and improve retention. First-year officer pay with IMPD increases from $39,446 to $51,000, with second-year salaries increasing from $47,650 to $59,500.
"When I got the phone call, I didn't even know what to think. I was so excited," Moore said. "I grew up in a family of officers. My father and my mother are both police officers."
Moore knew she would one day become a member of law enforcement.
"Growing up in a house full of officers, you see what their life is about, what they do," she said. "They're there to serve the community."
Now she wants others to know what it's all about.
"I want to be a role model for my community, and that's the main reason why I chose to be an officer," Moore said.
Moore joined fellow recruits and community members in a forum to discuss the relationship between IMPD officers and folks living across the Circle City.
"Always looking at what's right and what's just," she said. "I think it's really important for the community to be here. As a recruit or police officer, we can see how the community sees us. Maybe that will help us better some of the things we could be doing better in our community."
Moore and her fellow recruits will begin class on July 1.
