On Monday the City-County Council passed a $1.9 Billion budget, 25 percent of which is going to the deadliest gang in Indy despite sustained protests against police killings, brutality, and surveillance from cross-sections of the community. The cops’ budget is an 11% increase from this year’s. Our co-hosts debunk the IMPD’s frequently-touted Community Violence Reduction Team, with data from MaskOfff12.com, revealing that it’s staffed and managed by some of the most violent officers (like John Cody Fankboner, Kyle Jones, and Michael Sojka who killed a citizen in 2024). And as cities and counties across the state vote to terminate or not renew contracts with Flock Inc., the private technology corporation that makes the surveillance cameras flooding our streets, Indy is moving forward, dismissing all constituent input. The show digs deeper into the abuses that are Flock cameras by drawing on the corporation’s public data and independent studies, like one that placed their inaccuracy at over 70 percent.
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The budget is also written to mislead. For example, under “Infrastructure and Neighborhood Investments” the city dedicates money to “demolish” almost 100 “blighted” properties. Yet this also shows what we could easily accomplish if the people were in power: it would only take approximately $180 million to repair 1,800 “blighted” properties. Those repairing them would earn living wages and afford to live in the homes. It really isn’t that complicated.
Co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford highlight the complete absence of democracy on display that night. When councilor Jesse Brown motioned to reallocate $25 million from the $400 million dedicated to the IMPD–a mere 6.5%-not a single councilor would second the motion. In other words, not one other “representative” was willing to engage in any level of democratic deliberation over a motion that would still leave the IMPD with more money than last year.
Naptown People’s Radio logo competition!
We also announce that listeners can play a role in shaping Indy’s only independent, socialist podcast by entering a competition for our official logo! The deadline is Nov. 13 and information can be found here or in the show notes below. Questions? Email logo@naptownpeoplesradio.com.
Circle City Shout Out
Rev. Davanta Scruggs Sr. gets this episode’s Circle City Shout Out. While Rev. Scruggs currently serves as Senior Pastor of New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Kentucky, those of us at the Indy Liberation Center and in PSL Indianapolis have had the honor and privilege of working with him after the tragic killing of his cousin, Dalys Jett. Although we wish we met Rev. Scruggs and the Jett family under much better circumstances, we’re inspired by their fighting spirit and steadfastness. Dani says he reminds her of one of her favorite Fred Hampton quotes (coincidentally delivered at a church): “Some people say you fight fire best with fire, but we say you put fire out best with water. We say you don’t fight racism with racism—we’re gonna fight racism with solidarity.”
Events
Volunteer for Liberation!
Study Group: Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fanon (ch. 1)
Circle City Sangha Mindfulness Meetup
Emancipatory Motions: Yoga for Liberation
Pregnancy Behind the Walls: Women’s Voices Focus Group
Show notes
Naptown People’s Radio Logo Competition!
Institute of Justice Report on Flock Cameras
Petition: Justice for Dalys Jett!
Indianapolis Liberation Center
Indy Liberation Store
Support Naptown People’s Radio
Party for Socialism and Liberation
PSL Indianapolis
Featured photo: Community members hold signs during the City-County Council budget vote. Credit: Jae Henson.