Summer Celebration Task Force Plan for 2011

On the evening of Saturday, July 17, 2010, after the Indiana Black Expo ended three separate shootings occurred and 10 teenagers were injured. Due to the violent incidents, the Summer Celebration Task Force (“SCTF”) was formed under the direction of IBE’s Board of Directors. The purpose of SCTF was to develop strategies to help create a safer downtown Indianapolis District during Black Expo Summer Celebration and Circle City Classic. The primary objective of SCTF was to develop an Action Plan to help IMPD address safety issues for downtown patrons during this time.

The Task Force came up with a security plan that will have approximately 500 law enforcement officers deployed on the streets to deter criminal behavior. The two pick up and drop off points for parents will take place at (1) Maryland and West Street at the east side curb (located by Victory Field); and (2) Capital and Ohio on the south curb lane. Light towers will be erected in dark areas and the curfew will be enforced.

In addition to the Security Plan, the SCTF proposed three additional actions. First in an effort to reunite families and to attract more youth inside the venue, IBE will relocate the youth events inside the Indiana Convention Center on the second Saturday of Summer Celebration. The second action is to increase the number of volunteer participants of Ten Point Coalition’s faith based patrol. The third action is to launch a media campaign to promote safety and nonviolence.
The SCTF believes that by implementing strategies to attract the youth inside the venue, increasing the volunteers in Ten Point Coalition’s patrol program and launching a marketing campaign to include effective messaging on expected behaviors of youth and families during Summer Celebration, the above actions will assist IMPD with minimizing the risk of violent incidents during the event.