Mayor Hogsett, Indy10 BLM, others react to IMPD chief leaving top job
Soon after Randal Taylor announced that he's stepping away from his position as Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department chief, the reactions from public officials and community activists trickled in.
In a statement, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, who was elected to a third term, said: "Chief Randal Taylor is a trailblazer, and his nearly thirty years of service to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is a testament to his character, commitment to public service, and drive to make Indianapolis a safer city. In his time as Chief, IMPD has seen the largest reduction in homicides in department history and has placed community relations and transparency at the forefront. I thank Randy for his service to the people of this great city, and I wish him the best in this next chapter.”
'Time for me to pass the reins': Indianapolis police chief announces he's stepping down
Nick Roberts, councilman-elect for District 4, also thanked Taylor for his years of service.
Rev. Charles Harrison, board president of the Ten Point Coalition, also thanked Taylor for his years of service.
I want to thank IMPD Chief Randal Taylor for your many years of service to the city of Indianapolis. Congratulations on your retirement and I am thankful for many years of friendship. You are a very good man and I wish you well and may God's blessings be upon you and your family," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Meanwhile, Indy10 BLM welcomed the news, saying via social media, "Chief Taylor is resigning, happy holidays yall!!!"
Rick Snyder with the Fraternal Order of Police issued the following statement Friday evening: “We learned today of the transition of the Chief of Police for IMPD. We are grateful to Chief Randy Taylor for his many years of service to the Indianapolis and Marion County community. Chief Taylor truly cares for the well-being of our officers and their families. His years as Chief were during some of the toughest challenges our capital city has faced. We thank him for his leadership and for the sacrifices made by his family. As the page is turned by Mayor Joe Hogsett, we look forward to learning of his next steps as Indianapolis completes the fourth consecutive year of record levels of violence with officer retention being critical as we enter 2024. Morale matters…”
Other notable local leaders have chimed in as well.
"I have tremendous respect for Chief Randal Taylor and his almost 30 years of dedicated service to our city,” said Indianapolis City-County Council President Vop Osili. “He guided IMPD through some of the most difficult times our city has ever seen. His desire to continue serving this community is a great reflection of the committed public servant Chief Taylor has always been.”
"I would like to thank Chief Randall Taylor for his dedication and commitment to our city," said Councilwoman Maggie Lewis in a prepared statement. "Serving as a public safety official is never an easy role. Chief Taylor has led IMPD through our city’s most tumultuous times and worked alongside members of our community to identify solutions to reduce violent crimes and develop strategies to increase officer retention rates. I wish him the very best in the next chapter of his life and wish his family the very best."
This article will update.
Contact IndyStar investigative reporter Alexandria Burris at aburris@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @allyburris.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis police chief: reactions to Randal Taylor leaving top job
