New Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Tanya Terry is no stranger to the west side.
From 2021 to 2024, the 27-year veteran of the IMPD was commander of the Southwest District, which includes Decatur Township and half of Wayne and Perry townships.
For the first time since being appointed to the highest policing position in the city, Terry took questions directly from westside residents at a Coffee with the Chief event Feb. 24.
A handful of people — out of dozens representing different westside neighborhoods, businesses and organizations — asked the chief about a variety of topics, ranging from speeding vehicles to rumors of federal raids.
Here’s what she said.
The IMPD strategic plan
Terry said the IMPD’s new strategic plan, which was crafted with input from city residents, calls for more shared responsibility between the community and law enforcement.
The five-year plan was created under the administration of previous IMPD Chief Chris Bailey, who is now Mayor Joe Hogsett’s chief of staff. It outlines three priorities: fostering a supportive workplace, enhancing community safety and investing in infrastructure.
Terry said IMPD has work to do to strengthen partnerships with westside communities.
“We have a lot of work to do internally, but we also have a lot of work to do as a community together,” she said. “See, in that strategic plan is our commitment to deepening and strengthening partnerships within our community so that we can share in that responsibility. It’s our commitment to work alongside you.”
Speeding and short-term rentals
Former Indianapolis deputy mayor and longtime Haughville community advocate Olgen Williams told Terry he was concerned about speeding throughout his neighborhood and traffic from short-term home rentals through companies such as Airbnb.
“I have a couple of them, one across the street, one next door to me, and it’s just crowds of people coming in and out, taking parking spaces, making noise,” he said “My granddaughter is scared to come to the house and park. What can we do about Airbnb parking?”
Terry said residents concerned about speeding or parking violations should report suspected violations using IMPD’s traffic complaint website.
“We have a dedicated traffic team that their sole priority is to enforce traffic laws within the county and the jurisdiction. They can prioritize those complaints, especially if there are many residents in the neighborhoods experiencing the same issues and the same complaints. That tells us that we we need to draw our attention to a specific area,” Terry said.
IMPD Southwest District phone number:
(317) 327-6400
Terry also encouraged residents who have issues with short-term rentals to call the IMPD when they see signs of a party or have noise complaints.
“You are the eyes and ears for the police department,” Terry said “Please call us so that we can come and initiate those conversations with either the person that owns the property or the party host so that we can set the ground rules and make sure we stay ahead of things before they get out of hand.”
Dealing with ICE rumors
Haughville resident and business owner Pastor Douglas Tate Jr. asked Terry about rumors of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids in the city.
“What’s the procedure when someone has encountered ICE here in the community or in the city?” Tate asked.
Terry said IMPD does not enforce federal immigration laws and IMPD has not entered any agreements with the federal government to do so.
IMPD’s priority, she said, is to ensure public safety in the city and ensure residents feel safe calling the department regardless of their race, religion or immigration status.
The chief said residents can sometimes misidentify local police or federal agents preparing to serve a warrant or other police operations as ICE or other immigration enforcement.
“You’re welcome to reach out to your local IMPD district. We have ways of confirming or dispelling that kind of activity and put people’s minds at ease,” she said. “One of the things that we’re trying to be cognizant of is not doing our tactical prep in sensitive areas like our schools and our churches, because we know sometimes that raises people’s concern that something is going to happen associated with that church or the school, so we’re trying to be mindful of that as well.”
Building trust
Ladessa Sparks, of adult mentoring organization Trusted Mentors, asked Terry about building trust between residents and police and breaking the cycle that has people returning to jail.
“As you step into your role, how are you approaching rebuilding trust with the law enforcement and individuals who are impacted, and what measurable strategic plans are you trying to prioritize to reduce recidivism and support long-term stability?” she asked.
IMPD received criticism earlier this month for a video showing an officer threatening to kill a teen driver during a traffic stop. Police arrested a passenger for “dangerous possession of a firearm,” and the department said it was investigating the stop.
Earlier this month, Terry told the City-County Council’s public safety committee that the words used were “unacceptable.”
Terry told westsiders at the event that constant communication is a key part in building trust.
“I acknowledge and recognize that when we fall short of our community’s expectations, that we essentially move backwards on the trust factor. But that doesn’t dissuade us from being committed to seeking that trust,” Terry said.
She pointed to programs like the juvenile diversion programs she implemented as Southwest District commander.
“I think that’s very important that we recognize that just because somebody makes a mistake, especially when it’s a young person for a low-risk, low-level offense, that they have a second chance before they go into our criminal justice system — that they are connected to resources to try to address the root cause of whatever precipitated that behavior,” Terry said.
Establishing a good community relationship
Carlena Moses, Near West Community Builder at the Hawthorne Community Center, asked Terry how IMPD and the community could work together in a better way.
“How can we establish best practices together to share in the work of implementing the IMPD plan and making sure that there are collaborative efforts between the community and IMPD?” Moses asked.
Terry said the department is still planning how it will carry out the community portion of its strategic plan, but it will involve business owners, faith leaders and other community members.
“Our intention is to get our frontline officers out into more of these community meetings with you all,” Terry said. “And when we have those conversations and you have some takeaways, you can be the messenger within your sphere of influence.”
Terry said she hopes community members attend IMPD meetings and that police officers are invited to community meetings.
“Please invite us to the table, and we will do the same,” she said.
Anti-homeless legislation
Lora Henderson, resource coordinator for the First Baptist Church North Indianapolis, asked how IMPD would enforce a state bill that could ban homeless encampments on public land and send hundreds of homeless people to jail.
Under Senate Bill 285, introduced by two Republican senators — Cyndi Carrasco, who represents parts of the south side and Greenwood, and Eric Koch of Bedford — would make it a Class C misdemeanor to use public land for sleeping and camping.
That means homeless people in the city could face up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine after a warning from police.
The bill was approved by the Indiana Senate in January. It was passed by the Indiana House of Representatives with some changes. The Senate now has to consider the amended bill.
Terry said IMPD was watching the bill’s progress, and that IMPD doesn’t want to see people jailed unnecessarily.
“So, even if we were to take any enforcement action, we’re talking about a summons,” she said. “We have a great homeless outreach unit that works very closely with service providers in our community. Our mission is to connect people with those resources and do proactive engagement and community outreach, and we will continue to make that our priority as it relates to homelessness.”
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Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on Bluesky at @enriquesaenz.bsky.social.
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