Advisory

INDIANAPOLIS - On June 29, 2017, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officers Carlton Howard and Michael Dinnsen were involved in an officer involved shooting that tragically ended in the death of Mr. Aaron Bailey. A criminal investigation of the incident was conducted by the IMPD Critical Incident Response Team. A separate and independent criminal investigation was also completed by a court-assigned special prosecutor. On October 31, 2017, the special prosecutor concluded no criminal charges would be filed.



Independent of the special prosecutor’s investigation, IMPD conducted a full administrative review. That review considered the findings of both criminal investigations and an internal investigation focused on training and/or policy violations which may have contributed to this tragedy.

The members of IMPD’s Firearms Review Board reviewed those materials and were convened on Friday, November 3, 2017. Officers Howard and Dinnsen appeared in front of the board and answered additional questions. At the conclusion of that hearing, the Board unanimously concluded that the officers’ actions did not comply with IMPD training and policy.



On Saturday, November 4, 2017, Chief Bryan Roach and his executive staff met to review the Firearms Review Board’s findings. The chairman of the Board provided an overview of the hearing and each of the five board members provided their opinions. All members of the executive staff were also asked to share their views.

After considering IMPD’s training and policies, the facts presented to the Board, the Board’s recommendation, the opinions of his executive staff, and his own 27 years of experience, Chief Roach reached the following conclusions: Sufficient reason did not exist to believe that deadly force was necessary to affect the arrest of Mr. Bailey, nor to believe Mr. Bailey posed a threat of serious bodily injury to the officer or any third person.



There was a failure by the officers to apply their training regarding high-risk traffic stops, which would have allowed them to better assess the situation. By following IMPD training, the officers would have allowed themselves time, distance, cover, and a safer encounter for the officers, Mr. Bailey, and Ms. Ward.



One of IMPD’s values states: The protection and perseveration of life is our fundamental objective. We will only use deadly force when necessary to protect the life of a citizen or officer and when other options are not reasonably available. There were other reasonable options available to the officers in this incident.

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Although Mr. Bailey’s reported non-compliance with a lawful order to exit the car and his reported flight contributed to the situation, the officers’ use of deadly force without sufficient reason as outlined in General Order 1.30 – and failure to apply training designed to provide safety for all involved – rises to a level so far removed from accepted professional practice and community expectation that it severely damages public trust of its police department.Such harm to the public trust requires the separation of the two officers from their employment with IMPD. Effectively immediately, Chief Roach has suspended officers Carlton Howard and Michael Dinnsen and recommends their termination to the Civilian Police Merit Board.