INDIANAPOLIS — Former Indianapolis Police Chief James D. Toler has died at the age of 82.
Toler served as the chief of IPD from 1992 to 1995.
He was the first Black police chief in the history of Indianapolis. Toler was appointed by former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith.
IMPD announced his passing on social media, where Chief Bailey said, "Chief Toler was a trailblazer whose dedication to strong police-community relations and improved internal processes have left a lasting impact on our community and department. His legacy of service will continue to inspire us all. He will certainly be missed."
Toler introduced community policing to Indianapolis, which focuses on building trust between police and the communities in which they serve. He asked officers to proactively solve problems instead of simply responding to crimes and emergencies.
Toler also introduced the first random drug testing for an Indianapolis police department. His program remains in place today.
In 1993, Toler reinstated the policy of letting officers take their police cruisers home. The cruisers were also repainted white to improve visibility and safety. Both the color-scheme and policy remain in place with IMPD today.
Toler's term as chief ended in 1995. He stayed on as commander of the downtown district for six years, before retiring in 2001. He had served 38 years in law enforcement.
