Is Downtown Indy Safe?

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis survey raises questions about safety in downtown Indianapolis at night.

IUPUI researchers asked 355 people who were downtown at the time how safe they feel in the city after dark. Only about 33 percent of respondents said that they feel safe downtown, 6News' Ericka Flye reported.

The safety question was but one of a wide range of questions asked, but it was the one that stood out.

Since 2005, there has been a 10 percent drop in the number of people who said they feel safe downtown.

The Asdell family lives in the city and enjoys taking a nighttime stroll, with little fear.

"We go in the mornings, evening, anytime during the day. We've never ever had any problem. So why shouldn't we feel safe?" Terry Asdell said.

"It's not shocking, because the results have been pointing to that direction from the beginning," said IUPUI professor Sotiris Hji-Avgoustis.

The survey results mark the third consecutive year that respondents' perception about night safety in Indianapolis has slipped.

"It was, as you said, a perception of people who are downtown," said Indianapolis Metro police Sgt. Paul Thompson. "I don't know what group of people they surveyed, but I can say this -- statistically, crime is very low in the downtown area."

Thompson said he hadn't seen the survey, but said there is no reason for people to be overly concerned about their safety downtown.

Researchers said they conduct the survey each year in an effort to assess the quality of life in Indy and point out areas that need improvement.

Most people gave the city high marks for cleanliness, hotels, restaurants and parking, but they felt something should be done to address negative perceptions about safety to promote tourism and boost the city's economy.