Pledging to bring a renewed focus on keeping Hoosiers safe, Democratic candidate for governor John Gregg announced a comprehensive, seven-part public safety plan in Evansville today.

The Gregg/Hale “Safe Communities Plan” will address the state’s legal and illegal drug epidemic, combat sexual violence against children, prevent cybercrime, reduce recidivism, and offer more support to state and local law enforcement officers.

“Ensuring that all Hoosiers are safe where they live, work and go to school is a fundamental responsibility of government and will be a hallmark of a Gregg/Hale administration,” said Gregg, a former university president and speaker of the Indiana House. “Too many Hoosiers are addicted to legal and illegal drugs, we haven’t been proactive enough in protecting our kids, and we need to do a better job of supporting those who protect us. We can’t neglect these important issues any longer, and, when I’m governor, we won’t.”

Joining law enforcement officers from throughout Southwestern Indiana at the Vanderburgh County Jail, where overcrowding as a result of drug addiction is a significant problem, Gregg stressed the urgency of dealing with the state’s drug problem. Indiana leads the nation in meth, we’re fifth in heroin and 15th highest for opioid overdoses. Yet, Indiana lags behind its neighbors when it comes to access to treatment, despite studies proving that a dollar spent on substance abuse treatment saves $4 in healthcare costs and $7 in law enforcement and other criminal justice costs.

To address this and other issues facing Indiana’s families, businesses and communities, the Gregg/Hale “Safe Communities” Plan proposes:

• Addressing Indiana’s Drug Epidemic. As governor, Gregg will work to create a statewide drug treatment network made up of new and existing treatment facilities; require physicians and pharmacists to more routinely check Indiana’s prescription drug database to prevent potential addictions or overdoses; direct Indiana State Police (ISP) to concentrate resources in drug usage hotspots; increase ISP undercover assignments and take down “pill mills; support legislation to provide first responders with medication to halt overdoses; combat drug smuggling by creating a multi-person interdiction team in each of the state police operational areas; share data between law enforcement agencies to better coordinate, track and predict drug trafficking; and increase penalties for those that target pharmacies for the purpose of making methamphetamine.

• Supporting Community Policing. Based on positive results from communities across the nation, a Gregg/Hale administration supports community policing as a way to strengthen the relationship between the public and law enforcement. The Gregg/Hale administration will work with local law enforcement agencies to implement community policing approaches in interested cities and towns across Indiana by helping local agencies apply for federal grants; developing a statewide policing model of best practices and recommendations to promote better interaction and communication between law enforcement and the communities they serve; supporting independent and professional investigations in police involved shootings; creating a toll-free tip line to anonymously report suspicious activities in our communities; and by directing the Indiana State Police to coordinate with the Indiana Department of Education, the Higher Education Commission and local authorities to offer assistance to individual schools in developing safety plans.

• Protecting Children from Sexual Violence. With Indiana failing to protect our kids in a whole host of ways, a Gregg/Hale administration will propose legislation to update state laws and shut down acts of violence against our youngest citizens. Proposals include measures to increase penalties for those who purchase commercial sex from minors; ban convicted sexual predators from school grounds; develop guidelines for online communication between school personnel and students; and support for additional background checks and training for all adults working with children.

• Expanding Efforts to Fight Cybercrimes. As governor, John Gregg will work with the ISP to expand their cybercrimes unit to more aggressively go after those who prey on children, the elderly, commit identification theft, or who steal personal or business information. A greater focus on this team will also help develop more intelligence to prevent potential terrorist activities in Indiana. The Gregg/Hale administration will also push legislation to increase penalties for those who engage in inappropriate online activities with minors and will create a working group of experts to review existing state law pertaining to cybercrimes and make recommendations for updates and improvements.

• Supporting State Police/ State Law Enforcement Agencies. Governor Gregg will work to strengthen and modernize the ISP and other state agencies with public safety responsibilities. This includes providing competitive pay and benefits for state troopers in order to recruit and retain personnel; updating equipment and other crucial infrastructure to keep law enforcement officers and first responders safe; ending reversions of public safety agency budget dollars; and establishing new partnerships between state agencies and universities to better utilize data to predict and prevent crime.

• Preventing Crime. With nearly 38 percent of offenders released from the Indiana Department of Correction being recommitted within three years of their release date, the Gregg/Hale administration will work to stop this expensive revolving door. To help non-violent offenders find employment, a Gregg/Hale administration will offer expungement assistance at DWD WorkOne locations; create tax credits for businesses that hire ex-offenders; and assemble a working group of experts to examine the various services available to ex-offenders in order to streamline services and reduce waste. The administration will also work with city leaders to apply for federal funding to support summer youth employment programs across Indiana and create a website to promote them.

“John Gregg and I are about practical solutions and real results. We know that the success and growth of our economy are directly linked to the safety and security of our families and communities,” said State Rep. Christina Hale. “We will work with all communities, all stakeholders and all Hoosiers to take on these important issues and move Indiana forward.”