The Brownsburg Police Department (BPD) is making big plans for 2025.
They are increasing personnel, increasing positive community interaction and, most of all, increasing training across the department.
“Our agency attempts to be forward-thinking in development of technology and staffing,” said BPD Chief Joe Grimes. “We have multiple individuals wearing multiple hats, so there is a lot of cross-training and more responsibility that goes with it.”
In 2025 they’ll welcome four new officers, for a staff of 62 full-time officers and nine civilians.
The town has repeatedly been recognized as one of Indiana’s safest cities, most recently ranking in the top 10 with SafeWise and SmartAsset. Grimes said it’s a combination of his team and the community working together.
“We need the support of the community,” he said. “We’re creating relationships with a positive energy and reinforcing the public image of the Brownsburg Police Department. Across the country we’ve seen an uprising against law enforcement, but in Brownsburg it’s been just the opposite. It’s unheard of these days, but it’s something we want to continue to maintain.”
He said the goal of the department is to educate the public, even when it comes to something simple like a standard traffic stop.
“We’re not creating revenue with traffic stops,” Grimes said. “There is no standard when a citation or arrest is required. It’s determined in the field and we’re looking at how we can be as safe as possible.”
He said traffic has become an increasingly prevalent issue in the community, and the BPD works to curb collisions and personal injury.
“We have officers on bicycles and motorcycles, and that makes us more visible to the community,” Grimes said. “We’ll be increasing personnel in both of those units for this purpose.”
There may be no standard for a traffic stop, but there is a standard when it comes to training, and the BPD is taking things to a new level.
Indiana requires minimal training hours to maintain certification, but Grimes said what used to be 100 hours per person per year for his staff is now closer to 120 hours.
As they keep up with new ideas and new techniques, the BPD has recently brought on a criminal intelligence analyst, a forensic analyst and a civilian crime scene investigator. They are one of the only agencies in the county to employ a victims advocate on staff.
“We train on working with those experiencing a mental health crisis, and we have a critical incident stress management staff member to aid our own personnel because it’s important to make sure our mental health and well-being is taken care of,” Grimes said. “Our victim advocate bridges the gap until the person is introduced to the legal system. They are on the scene working with victims of a violent crime or traumatic event.”
They have drone operators helping to locate missing people or offenders. They have a robust narcotics unit, tackling drug crimes at the local level and even nationally, as they research and seek the source of major drug connections.
“We also have a person assigned with the district attorney and several task-force officers assigned to federal agencies: the U.S. Marshals, FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration,” Grimes said. “It gives us a network of resources so we can seek case resolution and apprehension as quickly as possible.”
Adding to their technology abilities, the forensic analyst can analyze cell phone data and computers – something they previously had to outsource.
“Hopefully the additions make us more efficient and we can get a quicker return on a resolution for criminal cases,” Grimes said.
All of that training and cross-training requires space, and they currently have a small standalone training facility, but the BPD is excited about what’s to come.
“The town was able to secure a new location for a police training facility,” Grimes said. “I’ve been working on this for the last eight years. We’ll be able to develop and design something conducive to what type of training we need and the equipment we’ll need.”
The new facility is expected to be completed in the next three to five years, and will be located near the town garage and other town departments’ current offices. They will receive additional indoor storage for special equipment and vehicles.
“I credit our town leadership for accomplishing this,” Grimes said. “They really carried it through to secure the property and we’re looking forward to being in a centralized area with other Brownsburg departments. I think it will allow us to accomplish even more, because currently our facility is landlocked and this new facility will allow us to host trainings and even do more than one training at a time.”
Such hosting may be courtesy of their Mutual Aid Team, consisting of a group of police officers in Brownsburg and Avon, as well as a medic and physician to administer medical aid during an emergency.
Not only is additional training better for the community, but it also inspires officers to continue learning and increasing their skill sets.
The BPD personnel are often submitting requests for additional training opportunities in Brownsburg and across the country, and once the four new officers join, the department will be at the recommended law enforcement staff-to-population ratio.
It’s right where they want to be.
“I think we are at one of the highest morale levels our agency has ever been,” Grimes said. “I meet with everyone regularly and they are able to speak freely and ask questions, but it’s not just internal structure – it’s the community support too.”
He’s not one to ask for donations, but Grimes said if the community wants to do something for the BPD, residents should speak with their elected body of officials to impress upon them their priorities.
“If we don’t tell them what’s important to us, they’ll determine it on their own,” Grimes said. “We should increase communication and feedback. We at the police department also want that feedback. Sometimes the biggest reward is hearing about the positive impact an officer has had on someone.”
