INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has released video footage from an officer-involved shooting that happened in September.
Officers were called to Pleasant Run Parkway for a disturbance, and as they walked up, two people began firing at each other, according to IMPD.
The whole incident was caught on security cameras. Police released that as well as body camera footage on Thursday. Community leaders say sharing that footage with the community helps increase transparency from IMPD.
“It helps. I think it really does help,” said Pastor David Greene Sr., President of the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis. “Now if somebody sees it, they can say, hey, this is what we want to see in our police department.”
He also thinks it will help build trust between the community and IMPD, which he ultimately hopes will reduce violence in Indianapolis.
“I think a lot of what’s going on in our community in terms of violence is people are addressing it themselves and not coming to the police for the answer, for the solution. You know, there is a mutual distrust, or really frustration is probably a better term.”
He said while this is a great first step, consistency on releasing footage will be key.
“If we have another police action shooting tonight you can’t come out and say, we’re never going to release that footage. That’s what creates doubt in the minds of community members,” said Greene.
Chief Randal Taylor said that won’t be the case, but people will need to be patient. “I don’t want to mess up any criminal cases or things like that, so I won’t be able to say that within two-days you’ll see that video,” said Taylor. He said it will be released as soon as possible after consulting with community leaders like Greene, the FOP and prosecutors.
“I don’t like the community to wonder about what the department is doing, what the officers are doing, and I think that with this one they will see the danger of the job. How quickly things can happen, how quickly the officers got on top of that situation, and then lastly how quickly they started giving first aid,” said Chief Taylor.
