Before the newly minted Indianapolis police chief had been in the position long enough to attend her own confirmation hearing, Tanya Terry had a major controversy on her hands: a viral video of a Feb. 6 traffic stop in which an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer threatened to kill a 17-year-old driver.
“I will kill you,” said an officer to the young man as he got out of his car. In the end the police recovered a gun and some marijuana from a passenger, but the driver who was subject to the threat did not have any contraband in his possession.
Although the department released a statement in response to the video late on February 6th, Terry addressed it in person for the first time before the City-County Council’s public safety committee on February 11th.
“Let me be clear: the words used in that incident were unacceptable,” Terry told the 13-member panel. “… Context is important, but it doesn’t take away from the impact of those words.”
Tanya Terry, IMPD’s first female chief, was sworn in as the new chief on February 2nd. She was recommended for confirmation by a vote of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee on Feb. 11, a decision that will likely become official without much further discussion at the March 2 full council meeting.
The public safety committee, which meets in rotating districts, met on February 11 at the former New Directions Church, about a 15-minute drive away from the site of the filmed traffic stop.
The video, Terry said, did not capture the entire interaction, including “de-escalation efforts” that occurred before and after filming began.
IndyStar’s request for body-worn camera footage is pending.
“Two things can be true at the same time. The statement that was used was not acceptable, and it is also unacceptable for children to be in possession of firearms,” said Terry. “Holding officers accountable does not mean ignoring the very real dangers that illegal guns pose in our community.”
An internal investigation is ongoing, and the officer who made the threat has not been publicly identified.
Prominent civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, who represents Trevion Taylor, is examining the case.
Terry weighs in on immigration, her vision
The rest of Terry’s conversation with council members involved her plans for community involvement as the department’s leader, visions for recruiting and officer morale. The new IMPD strategic plan will be released next week, she added.
Before she ended, Terry said she wanted to discuss another issue that is confusing communities’ relations with law enforcement across the country.
The department’s position on immigration enforcement has not changed, and IMPD has not entered into any agreements with federal agencies to conduct immigration operations.
“Our mission is local public safety and that means protecting everyone in our city,” Terry said.
When the floor opened for public comment, a handful of audience members rose to express their unwavering support for the new chief.
“As we heard today, when a concern was raised about officer conduct or a traffic stop, she addressed it directly. This shows responsibility and commitment to professional standards, which is what we need in our city,” said Aaron Williams, a business owner from Haughville.
The council unanimously voted in favor of recommending Terry. A confirmation hearing will be held before the full City-County council on March 2nd.
Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com.
This article originally appeared on the Indianapolis Star: New police chief Tanya Terry addresses viral traffic stop video