Indianapolis's 2024 budget earmarks more money for police and infrastructure

The 2024 city budget was presented to the Indianapolis City-County Council this week, and featured more than $1.5 billion in planned spending.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett kicked off the meeting by highlighting areas of significant investment, which include a record $323 million for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Cost of living raises, police vehicle dash cameras and license plate readers are part of IMPD spending. Additional public safety dollars will go towards hiring more deputies for the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

The budget will also target root causes of violence. The Office of Public Health and Safety funding includes $1 million for the city’s new clinician-led response team and money to permanently fund the Peacemaker program.

Community-based violence reduction efforts, including a group intervention program that targets youth, will receive more than $4 million. Funding will also go to programs that reach youth through education and employment opportunities.

“By showing that our best long-term crime prevention strategy is to invest in our own future,” Hogsett said.

This money leans into a continued 3-year, $150 million anti-violence plan. Part of that funding was supported by federal relief dollars that have already been allocated. Hogsett said that money is coming to an end.

“Some cities will struggle this year due to that absence – Indianapolis will not,” Hogsett said.

Added funding in the budget will increase city infrastructure spending to $1.2 billion over five years.

“We can muster this $1.2 billion without a single tax increase on Marion County residents,” Hogsett said.

This year’s budget includes $25 million for residential streets.  Pedestrian safety through traffic calming will also be addressed.

Republican mayoral candidate Jefferson Shreve, who has campaigned on the need to improve public safety, said he supported some of the moves but that some residents still feel unsafe.

“We've got work to do and it's important that we fund those resources to protect the citizens of this city,” Shreve said.

City-County committees will discuss budget proposals before a vote in October.

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.