Sen. Braun at a Republican candidates for governor event in Carmel on Jan. 25, 2024. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
INDIANAPOLIS – After more than a year in the governor’s race, U.S. Sen. Mike Braun released his public safety plan last week, part of his “Freedom and Opportunity Agenda,” calling for salary increases for public safety officers and a tough-on-crime approach.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of Hoosiers. As governor, I will put forward a bold agenda to protect Hoosiers from violent crime and drugs. We will introduce initiatives to increase support for law enforcement, address the fentanyl crisis, and enhance measures to protect our schools and children,” said Braun.
Aside from a raise for law enforcement, specific points included a system for replacing noncompliant prosecutors and a focus on drug trafficking.
If he becomes governor, Braun’s plan didn’t include specifics about how much of a “significant” salary increase state troopers could see but his campaign specified that it would be in addition to recent raises enacted by the General Assembly.
In the 2023 budget, lawmakers set aside funds to increase the starting salary for troopers to $70,000 and reform the pay matrix, responding to increased pressure from competing departments.
“As governor, I will prioritize the enhancement of salaries and benefits for our law enforcement officers. We will introduce comprehensive pay reform that aligns state troops and local law enforcement officers with competitive standards, including cost-of-living adjustments, competitive salaries, and comprehensive benefits,” Braun’s plan read.
Local law enforcement is not funded by the state, but rather by their respective localities.
The Indiana State Police would also have the responsibility of leading a state-wide drug interdiction strategy to address trafficking.
Read the complete Whitney Downard story for the Indiana Capital Chronicle, here.
