Chris Bailey Named Next Acting Chief of IMPD

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Chris Bailey Named Next Acting Chief of Police

Chris Bailey will be the Acting Police Chief, starting Wednesday evening. Bailey has been with the IMPD for more than two decades.

wibc.com

 

[Brandon]

Wish him luck for his time.

 

[bwframe]

IIRC, he was the spokesperson when IMPD declared they were against constitutional carry, as we were trying to get it passed?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

IIRC, he was the spokesperson when IMPD declared they were against constitutional carry, as we were trying to get it passed?

thats a shame.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

IIRC, he was the spokesperson when IMPD declared they were against constitutional carry, as we were trying to get it passed?

I wonder how much of that was "saying what he was told to say". Wasn't he the public information officer?

 

[TheGrumpyGuy]

I wonder how much of that was "saying what he was told to say". Wasn't he the public information officer?

Yes. Can't recall if he had that position before or after Kendale Adams (or maybe they were both PIO at the same time)

 

[Denny347]

I wonder how much of that was "saying what he was told to say". Wasn't he the public information officer?

He was the Assistant Chief

 

[DoggyDaddy]

He was the Assistant Chief

Thank you! I wasn't sure. I just knew that he was "the face" of IMPD on a lot of incidents on the news. Did he used to be a PIO?

 

[Denny347]

Thank you! I wasn't sure. I just knew that he was "the face" of IMPD on a lot of incidents on the news. Did he used to be a PIO?

I don't think so. You'll see him on TV at some critical incidents. He can answer questions the PIO's cannot. He's been effectively running the department as Assistant Chief anyway. Now he's wearing the second star officially until a permanent Chief is found.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I don't think so. You'll see him on TV at some critical incidents. He can answer questions the PIO's cannot. He's been effectively running the department as Assistant Chief anyway. Now he's wearing the second star officially until a permanent Chief is found.

That's probably it (critical incidents). I did a double-take the first time I heard his name, because I went to grade school through high school with someone with the same name.

 

[bwframe]

I don't think so. You'll see him on TV at some critical incidents. He can answer questions the PIO's cannot. He's been effectively running the department as Assistant Chief anyway. Now he's wearing the second star officially until a permanent Chief is found.

Got any inside dirt you can share on how the Chief shopping process is going? Where they are looking? Who actually decides?

Understood if "nunya" is the answer.

 

[Denny347]

Got any inside dirt you can share on how the Chief shopping process is going? Where they are looking? Who actually decides?

Understood if "nunya" is the answer.

Sadly I do not. No one has a clue who it will be. Quite a few interviewed but no one was picked. The Mayor selects a Chief and that person must be approved by City-County Council. I don't think there is a rush. I'd be just fine if Chief Bailey stayed in place. It's not a very high paid position. $128,000 a year as Chief. In a time where smaller department Chiefs are making more than double that. Who'd want all that headache for that. With OT, there are many officers making that kind of money without the stress.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Rumor mill has been fun. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Rumor mill has been fun. I'll leave it at that.

Yeah. Not enthused about many of the candidates.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yeah. Not enthused about many of the candidates.

given the crap sandwich that is the one making the call, are you surprised?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

given the crap sandwich that is the one making the call, are you surprised?

Market to me this position:

High stress
24 hour availability required
Must attempt to juggle multiple factions inside and outside of organization
Career field constantly under attack, literally and physically
Job tied to a politician's success, next guy will almost certainly replace you
1/2-3/4 the pay of similar positions elsewhere
1/3 or less pay of similar positions in the private sector.
All the issues that go with management positions in a large organization
All the issues that go with .gov roles in particular

There's a reason Indy, with very rare exception, gets an internal candidate. There's a reason the last external hire, Riggs, left for a better offer about 30 seconds after setting foot in Indy.

The issue is affected law enforcement hiring and retention at all levels. People who should be future leaders are leaving before taking those spots and existing leaders are leaving.

 

[OkieGirl]

@BehindBlueI's - would having the Public Safety Director position back help any of those issues or was that just political smoke and mirrors?

I don't think you can emphasize enough the impact that politics have over the whole process. Things literally go into a holding pattern during an election and pending the new elected officials arrival. Everything comes to a screeching halt pending a new Mayor. If that Mayor ends up being inept it just gets worse from there. The last few years have looked a bit like an abusive relationship between IMPD and the Mayor's office...

 

[BehindBlueI's]

@BehindBlueI's - would having the Public Safety Director position back help any of those issues or was that just political smoke and mirrors?

I typed a longer response, but: no, I don't think it would help. The position originally was an admin sort of slot, budgetary issues with police/fire/ems and that sort of thing as best I understand. Then it morphed into what it morphed in to under Straub/Ballard's mismanagement.

Others may disagree, but I'll take this mayor and this relationship with the department over Ballard/Straub any day. Happily.

 

[Brad69]

$128,000?

That is not enough $ for that job not even close we have factory workers that make that.

 

[armalitesheepdog]

A

Sadly I do not. No one has a clue who it will be. Quite a few interviewed but no one was picked. The Mayor selects a Chief and that person must be approved by City-County Council. I don't think there is a rush. I'd be just fine if Chief Bailey stayed in place. It's not a very high paid position. $128,000 a year as Chief. In a time where smaller department Chiefs are making more than double that. Who'd want all that headache for that. With OT, there are many officers making that kind of money without the stress.

128k a year will buy a whole lot of BC Headache powder. I tell ya what.