Indy Democrats Fail to Act—Statehouse Steps In
Friday, January 23, 2026
Indy Democrats Abdicate Responsibility: Force Statehouse to Do Their Job
A few weeks ago, State Rep. Mitch Gore [D] called out Indy Council Dems for refusing to remove the residency requirement for public defenders. In August 2025, Council Republicans introduced a public safety proposal to eliminate the restriction, allowing public defender offices to recruit and retain talent outside the county.
Council Democrats voted the measure down—twice.
Now, State Senator Cyndi Carrasco appears to be on Council Dem clean-up duty, introducing legislation to rein in the IMPD oversight board––ironically, a policy proposal Council Democrats themselves rejected just months ago.
Carrasco’s bill would retain civilian oversight of IMPD but shift the board into a more advisory role, ensuring it does not undermine the police chief’s ability to manage the department effectively.
Former IMPD Chief Chris Bailey has long been pushing for this measure. Telling Councilor Keith Graves [D] in August, the General Orders Board “impacts people’s morale, how they work, and their day-to-day activities.” He went on to say “There is a list of things that have contributed to why people don’t want to be police officers in major cities, and this is a contributing factor in Indianapolis.”
Mark this as yet another example of Council Democrats failing to act—and forcing others to step in and do their job for them.
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