Consolidation of police services is better than collaboration

Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson recently urged the Indianapolis City-County Council to vote against merging his department with the Indianapolis Police Department under Mayor Bart Peterson's consolidation plan. Peterson contends that combining police services will save county taxpayers $9.7 million annually.

Anderson's main objection is the creation of an interim commission to oversee the merged departments. Anderson, Peterson and Council President Steven Talley - all elected Democrats - would comprise the commission that will dissolve when consolidation is complete.

Peterson thinks it's critical for him to help shape the new Sheriff's department. With Anderson likely to reassign law enforcement resources to the suburbs, Peterson's participation will better ensure reasonable continued police coverage in the inner city.

Anderson has vocally opposed the interim commission since its introduction. He knows that Peterson and Talley have their eyes on his department's pension fund to fill I.P.D.'s shortfalls.

Because Sheriff is an office created by Indiana's constitution, and cannot legislatively be abolished, Anderson believes that he should oversee any merger start to finish. Because this is not likely to happen, he has recently offered a plan to improve collaboration between the departments, but would not consolidate them.

This is a big mistake. Sheriff Anderson should seize this rare opportunity and do what is necessary to consolidate police power into one office - his office - even if it takes a transitional commission.

If Anderson has concerns that the commission will harm the Sheriff's office, he needs to tell the public about them. If Peterson and Talley gang up to plunder his resources or make bad policy for his new department, he should oppose the commission's final plan before the City-County Council. The council's Democratic majority will be hard-pressed to OK the merger over his objections.

Taxpayers will benefit if the Sheriff and I.P.D. merge investigative units, share practice and training centers, and unify arrest, detainment and transportation procedures. Consolidation is also a blessing to voters because it will make one elected official accountable for all law-enforcement activity in Indianapolis. As Sheriff Anderson said at a news conference, "The buck should stop at the sheriff's desk."

If it wasn't for partisan politics, coupled with voter neglect, I.P.D. would have merged into the sheriff's office long ago. There are political explanations, but no sound reasons to have two separate police services in Marion County, each with its own standards in training, compensation, workloads, and equipment.

It is rare to find an elected official such as Mayor Peterson who is willing to relinquish ultimate authority over a police force and to give such power to a more appropriate office. Sheriff Anderson should use his good judgment and considerable political skills to make consolidation a reality. Opportunities like this don't come around very often.

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Kurt St. Angelo is a resident of Indianpolis and former chair of the Libertarian Party of Marion County.