New IMPD Chief Tanya Terry outlines recruitment push and crime decline

Tanya Terry, sworn in as chief of police in February, told the alliance she would prioritize three strategic areas: supporting employees’ health and professional growth; enhancing community safety through trust and partnerships; and investing in department infrastructure, data and facilities.

“As a part of that 1 year process, there were focus groups, there were online surveys, there were in person community meetings ... ” Terry said, describing a year‑long strategic process that collected input from more than 2,800 community members and 1,500 employees.

Chief Terry highlighted specific programs tied to those priorities: expansion of a pre‑arrest diversion program (first piloted in one district and now countywide), mobile crisis assistance teams paired with clinicians, clinician‑led responses for some mental‑health calls, and targeted violent‑crime reduction tactics that combine enforcement and services.

She said recruitment and retention steps include adding a supervisor for recruiting, expanding the recruiting corps, and improving applicant communications. Terry announced that 36 people are slated to start the next recruit class in August — the largest class in recent years.

On crime data, Terry reported year-to-date reductions: roughly a 24% decrease in homicides compared with the same time last year, violent crime down about 29% and property crime down about 13%. She said those figures reflect sustained efforts on violent‑crime reduction strategies and community partnerships.

During Q&A, attendees praised neighborhood partnerships and asked about National Night Out, officer visibility in less-dense parts of the county, and whether applicants from outside Marion County can apply; Terry said state law permits applicants from across the state but take‑home car privileges have residency limits.

Why it matters: the presentation described operational priorities that affect patrol coverage, community engagement programs, and recruiting — items that have direct consequences for neighborhood safety and police‑community relations.

What’s next: Chief Terry invited continued partnership with neighborhood groups and offered to answer follow‑up questions; residents planned to continue outreach about local safety walks and coordination with IMPD district commanders.