"An Indianapolis police officer was fatally shot late Saturday after he and another officer exchanged gunfire with a suspect in an alley.

 

Officer Perry Renn, 51, was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly before 10 p.m. local time. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Lt. Christopher Bailey told The Associated Press that Renn had been with the IMPD for nearly 22 years.

 

The department said that Renn and another officer responded to a report of shots being fired on the northeastern side of the city. When the two approached an alley near where the shots were reported, they saw a group of people. As the officers approached, 25-year-old Major Davis Jr. of Indianapolis began shooting, prompting officers to return fire, police said.

 

Davis was wounded by one of the officers and was taken to the same hospital where Renn died. He is listed as being in critical condition. Police say Davis has been preliminarily charged with murder."

 

According to the article this is the 8th Indianapolis police officer shot in the past 18 months. My cousin is an officer with the Frankfort, IN police department near Indianapolis and he said that it is 8 officers shot and 22 officers shot at in that time frame. I don't know if those 22 are in addition to the 8 that were hit or the 8 officers shot are included in that number. Either way it seems a very high number even for a large city like Indy. Anyone live there or have relatives there that have any insight?

 

Here's the article: 8th Police Officer Shot In Last 18 Months

Incredibly sad, and pretty pathetic for the city. I've always enjoyed it there, but this definitely makes me think twice about going back.

A very good friend's brother in law is on the force there. Apparently there are far fewer units than there used to be due to budget cuts. Scary situation both for the officers and the public.

A very good friend's brother in law is on the force there. Apparently there are far fewer units than there used to be due to budget cuts. Scary situation both for the officers and the public.

 

 

That is unfortunate. Citizens nor officers should ever be in a situation where there aren't enough policemen because of budget cuts. That's crap.

That is unfortunate. Citizens nor officers should ever be in a situation where there aren't enough policemen becuase of budget cuts. That's crap.

 

No doubt. I very rarely am in favor of any kind of tax increases, but one I would have no problem with is one that allowed the police, fire, and military to be adequately staffed.

Police forces and prosecuting attorneys are in an increasingly short supply all over the country as local and state governments try to find more and more ways to cut budgets.

Police Officer in Gary was also found shot to death in his cruiser the same day.

 

Sad events.

Our local Police Department averages less than one minute on emergency back-up according to their own records.

Our Sheriff's Department averages around 5 minutes on emergency back-up.

 

I wish every car was staffed with two officers but that just isn't a financial possibility for most departments.

Police forces and prosecuting attorneys are in an increasingly short supply all over the country as local and state governments try to find more and more ways to cut budgets.

 

A large part of the blame also is on lawmakers , police force and prosecuting attorneys spending to much of the budget they have on the war on drugs.

A large part of the blame also is on lawmakers , police force and prosecuting attorneys spending to much of the budget they have on the war on drugs.

 

Anything to back up your claims?

Anything to back up your claims?

 

Are you disputing that a large part of law enforcement in this country isn't focused on the war on drugs? Is this even disputable?

 

Whether it's police, prosecution, Jails etc.... the war on drugs is a huge chunk of local, state, and federal budgets.

Anything to back up your claims?

Nah he just want's all drugs legalized so police are freed up to write more revenue building traffic citations!

Anything to back up your claims?

 

Oh, come on. :ohbrother:

Locally in a county with around 60 or so police officers 2 are assigned to drugs...that's not really breaking the bank there.

I think in most departments you will find that the Narcotics "Division" is a fraction of the entire department. Yes officers in the course of their everyday duties run into and arrest due to drug violations but most local policing resources are NOT dedicated to drugs.

Locally in a county with around 60 or so police officers 2 are assigned to drugs...that's not really breaking the bank there.

I think in most departments you will find that the Narcotics "Division" is a fraction of the entire department. Yes officers in the course of their everyday duties run into and arrest due to drug violations but most local policing resources are NOT dedicated to drugs.

 

The problem isn't dedicated task forces so much. On its face, that doesn't look like much. But it's the fact that we waste so much money on court time and prison-building is where the biggest problem is. That money could be far more productively spent than in areas such as punishment, but it'll never happen now because of the power of the prison-industrial lobby.