Taylor Discusses Police Reform With City-County Council

INDIANAPOLIS — The chief of police in Indianapolis was on the hot seat in front of city-county councilors Wednesday night to talk about the department’s actions during a weekend of riots in the Capitol City late last month.

Police officers used tear gas and pepper balls to try and disperse rioters and arrested dozens of people. In one instance police were seen on video using what many are calling excessive force while arresting a woman who was not being cooperative.

“If you saw that video and you heard my comments you know the first words out of my mouth were ‘I didn’t like what I saw’,” Taylor said to councilors. “It looks bad and I’d rather us train to some type of different tactic to use on a single female in that situation when we could have had other officers that could have stepped in.”

Most of the 120 people arrested the night of the riots were released with Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears choosing not to file charges. 25 people did have charges filed against them, most of which were for disorderly conduct. One person was charged with murder.

Mears is also considering filing charges against a few officers he believes acted too aggressively, such as the officers in the aforementioned video. Still, Taylor said the woman was “resisting arrest” and thus his officers actions, though a bit excessive, were not illegal.

“You mentioned the words ‘resisting arrest’,” Councilor Leroy Robinson said to Taylor. “She clearly had her arms to her side, clearly did not move. Even when she was being hit with the baton she did not raise her arms to protect herself. I’m sure you saw that too but I just wanted to put that out there….”

“We must have seen a different video,” Taylor responded. “Because I did indeed see a person resist arrest, and that’s why the officers made their move.”

With the riots also happening weeks after the killing of Dreasjon Reed by an IMPD officer some residents calling for Chief Taylor to resign. Councilors asked him about those calls during Wednesday night’s meeting.

“No I shouldn’t resign,” Taylor said. “I’ve been here for six months. I’ve got a lot of work to do, I understand that, but the foundation of the department is good. I think it was left in good shape by Chief Roach and myself and my executive command staff are committed to making this department the best that it can be.”

The special prosecutor investigating Reed’s death has requested that IMPD turned the investigation over to Indiana State Police saying it’s in “the best interest of all involved” that Metro Police step aside for an independent investigation.

The officer who shot Reed, Officer Dejoure Mercer, is on administrative leave.