From police chief to chief of staff
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Photo: Courtesy of the city of Indianapolis
Chris Bailey will still answer to "chief" if you bump into him somewhere in Indianapolis next month.
Yes, but: Instead of guns and badges, those heeding his orders will be packing strategic plans and budget proposals.
Why it matters: After nearly three decades as an Indianapolis police officer, Bailey is leaving to become Mayor Joe Hogsett's next chief of staff and chief deputy mayor, a position that plays a big role in shaping city policy.
What he's saying: "It was this week that I told the mayor I would, so everything happened really quick," Bailey told Axios Friday.
- "The easy answer would have been (saying) no and to keep moving forward in the chief's office," he said. "But I don't know that I've ever, at least in my professional life, shied away from a new challenge or new opportunity that I didn't think would benefit the city that I love. So here I am."
State of play: Starting Feb. 2, Bailey fills the seat vacated by Dan Parker, Indy's former Department of Public works director who served as Hogsett's second in command from August 2022 to the end of last year.
- Bailey's track record of public safety accomplishments was cited by Hogsett as the reason he was selected for the job.
- In his two years as chief, Bailey oversaw the development of the department's new strategic plan and produced year-over-year reductions in violent crime.
Between the lines: 2025 was a challenging year for the Hogsett administration, thanks in part to former chief of staff Thomas Cook, who is under investigation by a Marion County grand jury.
- Criticism of the mayor's handling of the sexual harassment allegations against Cook — as well as concerns about his own behavior — has eroded trust and sparked calls for Hogsett's resignation.
When asked what change he would bring to the office in the wake of tumult, Bailey said his sole focus is making sure that the people powering the city have everything they need to move the administration's agenda forward.
- That includes making investments to keep crime trending down, pumping new funding for road improvements into the five-year capital improvement plan and addressing housing gaps throughout the community.
- "Politics plays a role in every part of life. You can't escape it. But I'm not a politician," Bailey said. "I am apolitical and my role is to support people, like I've done in all my previous roles."
What's next: The timeline for naming an IMPD chief has been narrowed down to "in the coming weeks," and Bailey says he has "no inclination" that the next leader won't come from within.
- "That'll be a discussion the mayor and I have over the next week or so, and hopefully we know who that person is sooner rather than later."