Mayor Hogsett named Chris Bailey chief deputy mayor – News 8 at 11 INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Chief Chris Bailey of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will be appointed as chief deputy mayor and chief of staff starting in February according to a news release from the office of Mayor Joe Hogsett on Thursday afternoon. Bailey will replace Dan Parker who served as chief deputy mayor and chief of staff from August 2022 to December 2025. Bailey will begin his role Feb. 2. The Democrat mayor will appoint new leadership for IMPD in the coming weeks. Bailey was preparing to do media interviews on Friday about his new role. On social media on Thursday, Bailey wrote that he was “honored, humbled and grateful.” He added that he “will carry IMPD with me into every role. I look forward to serving this great city in this new way.” The Rev. Charles Harris of Barnes United Methodist Church has worked alongside Bailey for more than a decade to keep Indianapolis safe. He was initially surprised by the announcement. Harris called Bailey a “good police chief.” “I think he has a great mind when it comes to policing. I think he understands how to go about and strategies and reduce violence and he works well with community groups,” Harris said. The reverend told News 8 that violence has gone down in Indianapolis thanks to Bailey’s leadership. Democrat Mayor Joe Hogsett echoed that in a news release, citing double-digit-percentage reductions in violent crime, including murders. Hogsett said in a statement in the release, “Bailey is a proven leader with a longstanding career defined by service, accountability and meaningful results. … His unique background positions him to manage large and complex city departments, streamline decision-making, and keep our administration focused on delivering progress for Indianapolis.” Bailey has been working for law enforcement in Indianapolis for 26 years and has served as police chief since January 2024. Under his leadership, IMPD began to enhance transparency and community engagement, the release said. Harris thinks Bailey will do great, but the news was bittersweet, since, the reverend said, Bailey oversaw the dramatic reduction in crime. “It is a loss because the city has been struggling with almost for the last 10 years in getting our hands in this issue of violence.” Statements “I would like to congratulate Chris Bailey on being named the Mayor’s Chief Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff. During his tenure as Chief of IMPD, he emphasized collaboration and strong partnerships as key strategies to reduce crime and keep our neighborhoods safe. Chris knows and loves this city. My colleagues and I on the City-County Council look forward to learning more about his vision in this new role through the confirmation process and working with him in continued service to Indianapolis and its residents.” Democrat Maggie Lewis, president of the Indianapolis City-County Council “I think it’s a good thing. I have a ton of respect for Chief Bailey. He has alwasy been an honest person with me. He’s been full of integrity, always is. He’s a very knoweledgeable person and has a ton of experience with the city and so I have the highest level of confidence in Chief Bailey and look froward to him being the next chief of staff.” Michael-Paul Hart, a Republican on the Indianapolis City-County Council ...read more read less