Sheriff’s 2026 budget centers on staffing increases; clashes erupt over ICE detainees during public comment

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office presented its 2026 introduced budget to the Indianapolis City-County Council Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee on Sept. 3, emphasizing increased staffing in the adult detention center and continued investments in inmate services. The presentation touched off extended public comment and sharp questioning from councilors about the sheriff’s housing of ICE detainees.

Sheriff Carrie Forstall and CFO Callen Carr said the introduced 2026 budget totals $150,729,533 and includes funding to add 55 full‑time employees to the sheriff’s staffing model and 2.6% cost‑of‑living adjustments for non‑union staff. Carr said the office expects to budget 881 FTEs in 2026, up from 826 in the 2025 adopted budget, with 535 FTEs allocated to the adult detention center and 307 detention deputies.

Why this matters: The adult detention center holds more than 2,400 inmates, according to the presentation, and staffing levels are a central determinant of operations, overtime costs and detainee welfare. Councilors and community speakers directly linked the sheriff’s contract decisions to broader concerns about due process and humane treatment.

Budget and operational highlights

- Staffing: Carr said the 2026 budget adds 55 detention deputy FTEs, which officials said is intended to reduce reliance on overtime and move toward staffing levels recommended in a KPMG study. The presentation traces a staffing dip starting in 2020 and a recovery…