Tanya Terry sworn in as Indianapolis’ first permanent female police chief, highlighting leadership transition at IMPD

Historic leadership change at Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

Tanya Terry was sworn in Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, as chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, becoming the first woman to hold the department’s top job on a permanent basis. The swearing-in follows her appointment announced Jan. 28 by Mayor Joe Hogsett, marking a leadership transition at a department that is central to the city’s public-safety strategy.

Terry’s selection comes after former chief Chris Bailey left the position to become the mayor’s chief of staff. City officials said additional command staff appointments were expected following Terry’s swearing-in, signaling continued organizational change within IMPD’s upper ranks.

Career path and training

Terry is a longtime IMPD officer whose career began in 1999. Over more than two decades, she served in patrol and investigative roles, including assignments as a field training officer, neighborhood resource officer and district detective. She was also involved in specialized enforcement efforts early in her career, including participation in units focused on street-level and violent-crime work.

Her promotions included sergeant in 2016 and lieutenant in 2018, with later assignments that included aggravated-assault and homicide work. In 2021, she was appointed commander of IMPD’s Southwest District, and in February 2024 she was named deputy chief of operations. Terry’s professional development includes participation in IMPD’s leadership training, graduation from the FBI National Academy, and completion of a policing leadership program focused on data-driven approaches to gun-violence reduction and community trust.

Policy areas highlighted in the transition

In city and departmental statements surrounding the appointment, officials connected Terry’s recent executive roles to ongoing public-safety initiatives, including data-informed violence-reduction work and efforts intended to strengthen relationships between residents and police. The administration has pointed to reductions in criminal homicides and non-fatal shootings during the period in which Terry held senior operational responsibilities, framing continuity in strategy as a priority under her leadership.

Officials also highlighted a juvenile diversion initiative that began as a pilot in the Southwest District and was later expanded citywide. The program’s stated approach is to connect eligible young people with supportive services, including community organizations, rather than processing certain cases through arrest-based pathways.

Organizational priorities entering 2026

Terry takes office as IMPD prepares to implement a strategic plan developed with input from both officers and community members. Support for her selection was voiced by police labor leadership and local faith and community representatives in public statements issued around the appointment.

• Sworn in: Feb. 2, 2026
• Appointed: Jan. 28, 2026
• IMPD service began: 1999
• Recent roles: Southwest District commander (2021) and deputy chief of operations (Feb. 2024)

With command staff decisions expected after the ceremony, the weeks ahead are positioned to define how the department’s leadership structure and strategy will align under the new chief.