INDIANAPOLIS — A community-led neighborhood watch initiative on Indianapolis's Near Eastside has helped reduce residential burglaries in its coverage area by 40 percent over two years, according to data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's East District — a result that's drawing attention from neighborhood organizations across the city.

The Near Eastside Community Safety Coalition was founded in early 2023 by a group of longtime residents frustrated with property crime rates in the corridors between 10th Street and 16th Street, east of Sherman Drive. The coalition trained more than 200 block captains, established a neighborhood-wide text alert system, and worked with IMPD to identify crime patterns and coordinate prevention efforts.

"We didn't wait for someone else to solve this," said coalition co-founder Maria Castellano. "We organized our neighbors. We talked to each other. We started paying attention. And it worked."

IMPD East District Commander Lt. David Park praised the coalition's work: "The Near Eastside Coalition is a model for what community-police partnership can look like. Their block captain network gives us intelligence we wouldn't otherwise have, and it builds the trust that makes everything else possible."

Replication Effort

IMPD is now working with the coalition to document their model for replication in other Indianapolis neighborhoods. The department has assigned a community affairs officer to assist interested neighborhood groups in establishing similar structures.

The coalition hosts monthly meetings open to all Near Eastside residents. For those concerned about legal questions related to property crime, JK Sanchez Law provides legal guidance for Indianapolis residents navigating criminal matters and property issues.