Gore backs bills to prioritize public safety
INDIANAPOLIS – State Representative Mitch Gore (D-Indianapolis) has spent his first month as a state legislator bringing his expertise as a Captain with the Marion County Sheriff's Office to conversations on public safety at the Statehouse. The following three House bills are moving through the legislative process:
House Bill 1006 is a wide-spanning bill addressing concerns with law enforcement practices raised in Indiana and nationwide over the past year. It would mandate de-escalation training for officers at every level of employment, establish a procedure to allow the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board to decertify an officer who has committed misconduct, define and limit the use of chokeholds, require the sharing of officer service records and specify that an officer who turns off a body camera with the intent to conceal a crime commits a Class A misdemeanor. It passed the House unanimously and advanced to the Senate.
“The trust between community members and their officers is one of the most important parts of keeping the peace,” Gore said. “This legislation is a good first step in assuring the public that our system is becoming more just, so they can feel even safer under our protection. I hope that this bill can move us forward in coming together and beginning to restore that trust.”
House Bill 1033 would expand the geography from where new public safety employees can be recruited. It advanced from the House to the Senate with bipartisan support.
“It's important for departments to be able to find the best possible people for the job,” Gore said. “This bill lets them expand their hiring pool to look at new candidates that wouldn't have been options before. And those people will get a chance to serve without having to uproot themselves or their families.”
House Bill 1270 addresses the Indiana Department of Homeland Security - consolidating its internal authority, allowing the electronic delivery of notices and establishing an executive training program for all newly appointed fire chiefs. The bill is being heard in the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and Public Safety.
“Every day the world is changing,” Gore said. “Our laws must do the same to ensure every department of our government is prepared to deal with new concerns and to be certain our leaders at every level are prepared for the job.
“There are many bills coming up on the schedule this session stemming from some interesting conversations the Assembly is having on public safety and law enforcement. I'm looking forward to being a part of those discussions. I want people to know I remain firm in my commitment to put the safety of Hoosiers first.”