Hogsett Ousts Hite From IMPD, Names Troy Riggs As His Replacement

Joe Hogsett refused to indicate during his recent campaign whether he would retain Rick Hite as chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, which many observers took as a signal he had someone else in mind for the job. Hogsett made that announcement today. He's tapping former Public Safety Director Troy Riggs to assume the role as IMPD's new chief on January 1. IFD's Ernest Malone will continue in his role as fire department chief. In a departure from Ballard's management of public safety agencies, Hogsett also announced that the police and fire chiefs would report directly to him and not a public safety director. Hogsett says he is working with Dr. David Wantz, the interim director of public safety Ballard named after Riggs stepped down from that position earlier this year, to help reorganize the public safety department. Referencing the "public safety crisis" Indianapolis is currently experiencing, Hogsett's announcement of his choice of Riggs leaves little doubt he lacked confidence in Hite's management of IMPD.