Community Action Teams Launch

Indianapolis Department of Public safety director Troy Riggs wants to promote a new philosophy.

He is asking the public to take an active role in improving neighborhoods through Community Action Teams.

Riggs says building up communities needs to happen through a holistic approach. 

So, for the past eight months he helped assemble a plan to create the teams concept -  resident groups that provide feedback and report issues to police and city officials.

"We are going to the community and saying 'we want to work with you.'  This is a community initiative," said Riggs.  "We have to work with the community to be successful.  When the community and government works together, we can solve a lot of the issues we are facing." 

Riggs says that extends beyond crime and includes code enforcement and animal care issues, as well.

"We want to make sure that we deal with all the issues facing residents to enhance neighborhoods, to enhance quality of life and ensure that Indianapolis remains a vibrant place where people want to visit and live," he said.

The first team is launching on the city’s southside, near the University of Indianapolis.

Katy Settle has lived there for three decades and says she is encouraged by what the area can become through the initiative.

"Because there are some improvements that I think need to be made around this area, especially with the university here and the charter school that has started - just to spruce things up a bit and make it a little more welcoming to people who come," she said.  

Part of the initiative is a $15 million investment in improving the Department of Public Safety’s data system.  It will be in place later this year and will allow officers and the public to get real time information on crime and other issues.

Riggs thinks combined with community support; officers and city leaders will be better equipped to handle problems.

"We believe that we will enhance quality of life, decrease crime quicker and the way we do that is by using our data and working closely in conjunction with the community and receiving information from them," he said.  "No one knows more about what's going on in the community than the people who actually live there."