INDIANAPOLIS — The city of Indianapolis wants your input and your ideas on ways to cut crime in our neighborhoods. It has released a survey hoping to redefine justice and public safety, as well dial down this recent uptick in violence.
Antonio Patton is the director of City Life, a ministry service on the city’s east side. He said the biggest problems in the community are gun violence, homicides and food resources.
“Don't come in thinking you need to fix us,” he said. “We don't need to be fixed. We need opportunities.”
Patton said getting rid of the negative connotation associated with his neighborhood would be a start.
“You tell people you live at 42nd and Post and you typically can't get a ride because of the stigma,” Patton said. “I want them to know that is not who we are. … Where are our community centers? What happened to our playgrounds? What happened to being able to the store on the sidewalk on the far east side, instead of walking in the street.”
East side resident Jade Jones didn’t know about the survey but was eager to share her views.
“I would say guns drugs and homicides,” Jones said are her community’s issues. “I have a son. He's 3 and everyone has guns and they just want to have them to show them off and shoot them. He's obsessed with guns right now and I don't like that.”
She's looking at things through the lens of her son and the motivation of creating a better space for him to grow up as she answers these survey questions.
“With the drugs they come out and sell the drugs to everybody in front of anybody,” Jones said. “He loves all the violence because that is what he sees.”
More than 4,900 responses have been received since the survey went out this month. It will be available until Aug. 31. If you want to submit your feedback to the city, click here to find the survey.
