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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowMayor Greg Ballard on Thursday vetoed a measure to free up $6 million to pay for new police recruits, saying he has a plan that will move about 100 existing officers to the streets.
Ballard claimed that Proposal No. 141, which called for $6 million in Rebuild Indy funds to hire a new class of police recruits, was “an unsustainable, one-time funding model that would leave us unable to pay for the officers and their equipment in future years.”
Instead, Ballard said that he and public safety officials planned to release a plan within a few weeks that would move 100 officers from desk jobs to the street and “help reduce crime and does not add to our budget deficit.”
In sketchy details provided to the city clerk in his veto, Ballard hinted that civilians could be used in roles that would allow officers to return to patrol.
Development of the recommendation is being led by Public Safety Director Troy Riggs and Police Chief Rick Hite, Ballard said.
Republican City-County Councilor Christine Scales introduced Proposal No. 141, which was passed by the council earlier this month in a bipartisan vote. The measure was co-sponsored by Democratic Majority Leader Vernon Brown.
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