“The Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police has endorsed Mayor Joe Hogsett’s re-election campaign, President Rick Snyder tweeted Thursday evening.
Hogsett, who the FOP endorsed during his 2015 campaign, said in a written statement Thursday that he was “honored” to again receive that vote of confidence.
“Over the last four years, we have made great strides to prioritize public safety and rebuild IMPD. We have returned our officers to community-based beat policing, funded a net gain of 150 police officers to the force, invested in the improved technology that our officers need to be successful, and worked to rebuild community trust,” Hogsett said in a written statement Thursday.
“All of these steps, and more, have been taken to ensure that our brave men and women of law enforcement are best positioned to serve our city. But our work is not yet done.”
When asked, Snyder did not elaborate on the organization’s decision to endorse the candidate.
Hogsett, a former U.S. Attorney, placed the fight against violent crime among the top items of his agenda when he first ran in 2015, and it has continued to be a focus of his administration.
Sixty percent of Hogsett’s proposed 2020 budget is earmarked for public safety and criminal justice, including $1.2 million to begin outfitting Indianapolis police officers with body-worn cameras, one of a handful of technological updates the FOP has pushed for.
“I have been proud to work alongside the Indy FOP for the last four years, and together, we can continue to build on our successes for the next four years,” Hogsett said.”