INDIANAPOLIS — Right before the West Street exit on eastbound Interstate 70, there's a new billboard that says, "We can't help if we're not there."
Indianapolis' police union tells 13News the billboard is the biggest way they could talk about the IMPD officer shortage.
"It captures where we are at and it is what it is," said Indy FOP President Rick Snyder. "We really need the public to understand the crisis we are facing."
He said Indy FOP and IMPD have stressed the officer shortage for years and if more officers aren't sworn in soon, it will impact all neighborhoods.
"Residents in the neighborhoods' biggest fear is we, as officers, will leave the neighborhoods," he said.
But the union does not only want residents to hear their message, but also visitors coming in.
"Coming here for a conference, a convention or to do business, they want to know they are coming to a place that is safe and what we want to say is we want to provide that safety, but quite frankly our officers have both hands tied behind their backs," he said.
According to IMPD, the city's budget funds 1,743 officers. As of April 10, there are 1,477 officers. That means the department is down 266 officers.
In a statement sent to 13News, IMPD wrote:
"IMPD continues to recruit both sworn officers and professional staff, including public safety officers and public assistance officers who can assist and respond to non-emergency incidents. However, retention and recruiting for law enforcement continues to be a challenge, not only here locally, but across the country. Agencies, big and small are facing officer shortages, and the IMPD is no different.
Our community expects its police department to work with them to reduce violent crime, respond to 911 calls for service, engage with them, and maintain our high levels of training.
All future service and staffing decisions will be based on those priorities. As we move forward, the IMPD will continue to be transparent and will provide appropriate notice before any significant change in services.
Recently, IMPD districts have taken a more hands-on approach when it comes to recruitment. These informal events, which are held at the district, allow individuals interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement to engage with officers and ask questions about the application process. These events have been highly successful and we invite the community to join us at our next event on Thursday April 25 at Southeast District from 5 - 7 p.m."
Snyder said the way to keep officers is by boosting morale and salaries. He told 13News if the shortage continues, this could cause the department to look at how they respond to different service calls.
For more information on IMPD recruitment you can visit JoinIMPD.Indy.gov.