INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced a series of changes for the downtown area as part of the Downtown Recovery Committee initiatives.
"Downtown has faced many tough challenges in the last five months," Mayor Hogsett said.
The mayor said $37 million in grants has been given to help businesses hurt by the pandemic. The city is also using $750,000 for a series of changes to help with cleaning and other public safety initiatives.
The plan to help downtown move forward after the pandemic includes new events, supporting Black-owned businesses and mitigating panhandling.
There will be increased foot and bike patrols by off-duty officers by quadrupling the number of hours that is happening.There will also be safety ambassadors walking the streets downtown during the day and evening to help answer questions and keep in contact with IMPD.
The city will be installing a network of 150 cameras throughout downtown to monitor activity. Mobile cameras will also be used in key areas. The network of cameras will be placed at businesses and homes downtown and in the surrounding areas. Additional cameras could be added as well, increasing the total number of cameras beyond 150.
Businesses and home owners interested in the cameras or linking cameras into the IMPD network can do so with a $20 fee. The idea is to create a clear message that downtown is safe and open for business. Find out more about the program by clicking here.
