Police Chief Alanais told the Elkhart Police Merit Commission that the department will host an awards ceremony on Oct. 9 at Nagy Hall (the FOP Lodge) to honor about 18 officers, including recognition for awards that had been missed in prior years. The chief said a formal invitation will be issued to commissioners.

The chief also discussed recent downtown street changes that have restored two-way traffic on several streets and said those changes, together with future work at the Dunham Underpass, should improve traffic flow and emergency access. "Anytime we can get under or over the tracks unrestricted, is a big deal for us just because of the nature of the calls we take and the responses of our officers," the chief said.

Commissioners asked operational questions, including how long it takes for mapping services such as Google Maps to reflect traffic-pattern changes; the chief said he did not know whether the city or contractors coordinate with mapping providers. A commissioner urged the chief to pass along appreciation to officers and to emphasize safety during what was described as a "turbulent time" for law enforcement.

No formal action was taken on the awards or transportation topics; the announcements were informational and will be followed up by invitations and internal planning.