[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6461657,"mediaKeyId","5823390-dd3e5c995f9ac29cf6d8defa60ec8290","parentId",5823390,"title","Public-safety portion of 2026 budget approved by committee amid debate over police vehicles, immigration and detention funding","audioSeconds",1366,"startMs",1368115,"endMs",2092,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823390-dd3e5c995f9ac29cf6d8defa60ec8290&start=1368&end=2","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823390-dd3e5c995f9ac29cf6d8defa60ec8290/thumbnail_1368115.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6461657/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Public-safety-portion-of-2026-budget-approved-by-committee-amid-debate-over-police-vehicles-immigration-and-detention-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6461657-4d428fc9d9693d34e288cecb6c7ef004/orig.mp4?Expires=1770823942&Signature=Xkq5hi8yLoaBj7eRftQELVuyGVS0l1~IIeBfrvPfdfaFIyDFh-QxiJRsF1cgNysqje~ntrpRKzV6xMrvuD~1RJK0PD0GA~~bwFpmayaq7AkSgLmJlvozaYaiI3xhdl8vJBR-vNd~jTd16LVuKldVJj8PCuWXqMjoVXwFul3LScCBQ919DBByaa9S2VVZM2fDDCWwoKx~o7D9Zw2Qn6b~w6aF3WOIddsYjVjI-X2X4VlXT~E9ocApkJlVSMwOjy5qz-B~MRzAPDWALkHT~J2BV0G4nQXpAdzo7DzFF28ufJua2ZFBTzhonV8yFGdpfLzG99OvJ37r2NRZf3LHLIDDnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Indianapolis, IN","date","2025-09-24T00:00:00Z","article","The Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee voted Wednesday to approve two consent items adopting the 2026 tax levy and rate for the Fire Special Service District (proposals 256 and 257) and to adopt the committee’s portion of the 2026 City of Indianapolis and Marion County budget (proposal 259). The committee carried the budget portion by roll-call vote after public discussion.

Controller Abby Hanson, who presented administrative details, described the proposals for the committee as routine administrative actions for the special service district council and the committee’s appropriations.

On the record: the committee adopted proposals 256 and 257 by voice vote; it approved proposal 259 (the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee portion of the 2026 annual budget) by roll call. The roll call included the following recorded votes: Boots — aye; Carlino — no; Bellany — aye; Graves — aye; Hart — no; Mascari — aye; McCormick — aye; Mowery — aye; Perkins — yes; Robinson (chair) — aye. The committee reported the motion as carried.

Why it matters: The passage approves the committee’s recommended appropriations for public-safety agencies for the 2026 fiscal year and moves those recommendations forward in the council’s budget process. Committee members noted remaining policy and operational concerns they said should be addressed separately.

Substantive concerns raised during debate
- Police vehicles: Multiple councilors said planned fleet or vehicle support for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was not included in this portion of the budget. One councilor announced an amendment he plans to bring on Oct. 6 to add funding for vehicles, saying vehicles are essential to officer morale and recruitment. The amendment’s specifics were not provided during the meeting.
- Public defender and grants: Councilors raised outstanding issues about the public defender agency and several grant dollars they said need follow-up; committee members urged staff and administration to resolve those concerns in upcoming budget cycles or amendments.
- Sheriff, detention and ICE cooperation: A councilor expressed concern about the sheriff’s office and the county’s detention operations, specifically unpaid detention reimbursement from the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) and cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); that councilor said the committee’s intent in earlier meetings was to examine the basis for detention cooperation to ensure it is proper.
- Immigrant legal defense fund: Andrew Merkley, director of the Office of Public Health and Safety, stated the administration will fund the immigrant legal defense fund at the same amount as in 2025; he said the administration and community partners would continue to support that program. \"We will be able to fund the immigrant legal defense fund at the same amount as 2025,\" Merkley said.

Votes at a glance
- Proposal 256-2025: Approve tax levy and rate for Fire Special Service District for 2026 — adopted (consent, voice vote). Motion/second: not specified.
- Proposal 257-2025: Adopt related tax-rate subsection for police (administrative) — adopted (consent, voice vote). Motion/second: not specified.
- Proposal 259-2025: Adoption of annual budget for the City of Indianapolis and Marion County (Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee portion only) — adopted by roll call (motion carried). Motion/second: not specified. Recorded votes shown above.

What the committee did not do
- The committee did not include the proposed police vehicle funding in this adoption; one councilor said he will present a separate amendment on Oct. 6.
- Specific dollar amounts for the immigrant legal defense fund in 2026 were not stated during the meeting; Director Merkley said it will be funded at the same 2025 level but did not state that level on the record at this meeting.

Next steps
- The budget portions approved by this committee will move forward to the council process consistent with the city-county budget calendar. Committee members indicated they will pursue follow-up work on fleet funding, the public defender agency and detention/ICE issues in future sessions or amendments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council of Indianapolis, IN - Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee voted Wednesday to approve two consent items adopting the 2026 tax levy and rate for the Fire Special Service District (proposals 256 and 257) and to adopt the committee’s portion of the 2026 City of Indianapolis and Marion County budget (proposal 259).","taxTitle","Indianapolis City, Marion County, Indiana","taxId",3627,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6461661,"Early intervention council presents ‘Where the Children Are’ report and proposes ordinance review",877,125965,1002971,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823390-dd3e5c995f9ac29cf6d8defa60ec8290&start=125&end=1002","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823390-dd3e5c995f9ac29cf6d8defa60ec8290/thumbnail_125965.jpg","/articles/6461661/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Early-intervention-council-presents-Where-the-Children-Are-report-and-proposes-ordinance-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6461661-cbe87445d6afb22c5ee2a15d06f67a98/orig.mp4?Expires=1770823942&Signature=cdt95jw1pSoDlk3BTZuSaEKmVNsLJPe-5vtsK8iPo9JGsBVpuYtKCYqfIRbSEs9VxpwCnyHPg0zPuswOb50QLMzckAtGbs~Shu9AuSlrn1tBJFEAezXOGa4Ebh8u3~bR3Yq778QJ8LNGHnAuIGc5FB0ziUdif1lBEgT-xLCXYKXUSsgi-p7XRx6upNRxMmuJ5sfIHXP0akU0ABqQkH0Tx0yOH8ZPJgjC-8oGho1G0jPRklAx5GJ4YJv3mBMzFnOUf-EtbB4S9esUAou2AJy4HtQ3Rc2uUFThx1CefjpvdZUruFKtJ4fZOMClwdUdCMtURIIWC8LINHV41lhy1PPGFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Elizabeth Coit, coordinator for the Marion County Commission on Youth (McCoy) and presenter for the Early Intervention Planning Council, told the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee Wednesday that the council published a compiled data report titled “Where the Children Are” to give local decision-makers a single source of information about children who are involved with child welfare and juvenile systems.

“The earlier we can intervene, [the] results in positive outcomes for children, families, communities across the county, decreases the cost [to] public safety and law enforcement, and leverages existing resources,” Coit said, summarizing the council’s prevention-focused mission and the rationale for the report.

The report pulls publicly available data into one place to show counts and trends the council said are essential for policy and budgeting decisions. Coit told the committee the council intends to propose revisions to the establishing ordinance and return with draft updates in 2026 to clarify the council’s membership, audience and responsibilities.

Why it matters: The council said a common data baseline is intended to help agencies coordinate prevention and intervention, align limited resources and reduce the number of children who are removed from families or who cycle between systems.

Key findings and details presented
- The early intervention planning council’s annual operating budget is $71,500; McCoy said that sum covers personnel to organize and coordinate the council and is leveraged by more than $1 million in related grants and programs run or sponsored by McCoy.
- The report uses mostly 2023 data where available. Indiana’s child population in those data was described as a little over 1.5 million; Marion County contains roughly 15 percent of that total (about 240,000 children).
- Specific counts called out by Coit: approximately 4,500 children in the county who lack permanency, about 726 in juvenile detention, and a little over 2,000 designated as children in need of services. Coit said the county has one of the highest percentages of “dual status” children (those who are involved with both child welfare and juvenile-justice systems).
- The council documented placement types and lengths of stay (in-home care, relative placements, nonrelative care) and noted demographic differences across those placements.

Council priorities and next steps
- The council said it will continue community outreach to share the data and gather feedback and plans to review the original 2005 ordinance that established the council to clarify its charge, membership and reporting expectations.
- Coit said council leaders want to consider broadening appointed membership to include additional early-intervention experts and to make the council a more visible voice when city and county leaders discuss services for children.
- Coit introduced Sarah Comfort as the incoming coordinator for the Early Intervention Planning Council; Comfort also serves as Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at McCoy.

Responses from committee members
- Several council members praised the report’s data and bipartisan history. One council member who serves as the Republican caucus appointee to the council thanked the co-chairs and noted the council’s long history and recent modest budget increase in 2023.
- Committee members asked whether the council coordinates with juvenile-justice specialists and experts on truancy; Coit said McCoy and the council work on juvenile-justice topics and absenteeism data and that stronger youth-justice representation on the council would be appropriate.

What the council did not finalize
- The presentation did not include a formal vote or a council-adopted ordinance change; Coit said the council will return with proposed revisions and timelines in 2026.

Ending note
- The committee accepted the presentation and proceeded to the evening’s budget items.","Elizabeth Coit, coordinator for the Marion County Commission on Youth (McCoy) and presenter for the Early Intervention Planning Council, told the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee Wednesday that the council published a compiled data report titled “Where the Children Are” to give local decision-makers a single source of information about children who are involved with child welfare and juvenile systems.","actionData","errors"]

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Public-safety portion of 2026 budget approved by committee amid debate over police vehicles, immigration and detention funding

Early intervention council presents ‘Where the Children Are’ report and proposes ordinance review