Indy hot-spot crime strategy has mixed early results

The Indianapolis Department of Public Safety strategy of flooding six crime-laden neighborhoods with city services has produced mixed results in the first three months.

While homicides are up in those areas, crimes in other categories are down, Director Troy Riggs said Tuesday.

"I can't sugarcoat the statistics," Riggs said during a presentation at the Regional Operations Center, 201 N. Shadeland Ave. "Unfortunately, a quadruple homicide occurred in one of the focus areas."

The findings include:

• Crime Stoppers tips to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department increased 30 percent and to the Marion County Sheriff's Office 26 percent.
• Fire fatalities decreased from 10 to none.
• Criminal homicides increased from seven to nine, and nonfatal shootings went from 22 to 24.

The areas are six of the most violent in the city, accounting for 27 percent of all homicides despite representing just 4.7 percent of the population.

They are: West 16th Street and Tibbs Avenue; 29th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive; 34th and Illinois streets; 38th Street and Sherman Drive; New York Street and Sherman; and 42nd Street and Post Road.

Riggs sent agencies under the public safety umbrella into the neighborhoods to assess their needs and help residents. Among their efforts:

• Police took 20 children to a Butler University basketball game and have held two behavioral health forums.
• The Indianapolis Fire Department inspected 1,232 homes and handed out free smoke detectors.
• The Emergency Medical Services department worked with mental health agencies to identify frequent users of ambulance services.
• The mayor's office of re-entry is working with 100 at-risk former prisoners to help them get social services.

Riggs said he also had streamlined the process for citizen complaints against police officers. Part of that effort is attempting to mediate disputes between residents and officers.

More than 30 social services, medical, church and law enforcement organizations are participating in the program,

Call Star reporter John Tuohy at (317) 444-6418. Follow him on Twitter: @john_tuohy.