Who are peacemakers? A quick guide to the Indianapolis program aiming to curb crime

Sarah Nelson, Indianapolis Star
·2 min read

As a response to Indianapolis' increased violence, an unprecedented number of people known as peacemakers are set to sprawl the city in an effort to curb crime.

The peacemaker program has been tapped to expand to 50 people who will either engage community members, provide mentorship or in their most serious moments, attempt to stop violence from occurring.

The program’s expansion is bolstered by a portion of a “historic” amount of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. Mayor Joe Hogsett last year announced $150 million of the ARPA funds will go toward a three-year, anti-violence plan – which includes the peacemaker program.

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A peacemaker contracts through the Office of Public Health and Safety. The title is an umbrella term for three roles.

Indianapolis residents may notice a peacemaker stationed at community centers. Other peacemakers work behind the scenes.

Who are they? What do they do?

Here’s a guide to the peacemaker program:

  • Violence interrupters: Interrupters are people who respond to crime scenes or those who work in “hotspot” areas in the city to intervene violence as it’s occurring, or with the hope of preventing violence from erupting. Their identities are out of the public eye.

  • Outreach workers: Outreach workers connect people to resources and identify gaps in services. Both outreach workers and interrupters can identify fellows, who are people deemed "high risk” of either perpetrating violence or becoming a victim. Interrupters and outreach workers then connect those accepted into the fellowship program to life coaches.

  • Life coaches: Life coaches are people who help their fellows with “literally” anything they need, city officials said. That could include resume writing, building relationships with their family, connecting to mental health services, scheduling a doctor’s appointment or paying off debt. The coaches create a “life plan” map they lay out with their fellows with the goal of helping them stay on track and set them up for success.

Contact Sarah Nelson at sarah.nelson@indystar.com or 317-503-7514.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis crime: Peacemakers program expands. What you should know.