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Annual Public Safety Report Presentation Highlights Decrease in Overall Crime,
The public presentation of the Annual Public Safety Report showcased progress made toward shared goals for public safety by the Bloomington Police Department, the Bloomington Fire Department, and the Community and Family Resources Department. Tuesday’s report highlighted a nearly seven percent decrease in overall crime in the City in 2020 and the fourth straight year of no fire-related fatalities within city limits. The Public Safety Report to the community is related to the effort to establish greater transparency and accountability in government functions and services. Bloomington Police Chief Diekhoff welcomed a nearly seven percent annual decrease in overall crime during 2020 including a 20% decrease in crimes against persons, but acknowledged a continuing serious concern with increasing gun violence. Diekhoff cited a 52% increase in the use of a gun in connection with a crime in 2020 and a 150% increase in gun permit applications. Bloomington Fire Chief Jason Moore noted the department’s record of zero fire-related fatalities in Bloomington over four years, during which time the department has made ten saves-of-life. Moore described the BFD’s fleet of emergency vehicles as in the best condition in nearly two decades, and pointed to an evaluation in coming years of needed repairs and replacements of the City’s fire stations. Since 2017, the BFD has earned an ISO rating of 2, placing it in the top one percent of the state’s and the top two percent of the nation’s fire departments.
The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Conference Tournament has been moved to Indianapolis.
The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament which was originally scheduled to take place at Chicago’s United Center, will now take place between March 10th and 14th at Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis. The Big Ten released a statement which said that multiple factors weighed into the decision; however, “First and foremost was the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, officials and conference constituents. Hosting both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in the same city allows for cohesive testing and medical protocols for both events, as well as centralized accommodations surrounding the competition venues.”
The Big Ten tournament concludes on the same day the NCAA makes its bracket selections for this year’s Men’s Basketball Collegiate Championship Tournament.
IU School of Public Health names new chair
Richard J. Holden will join the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington as chair of the Department of Health & Wellness Design beginning in July. Holden is a research scientist with the IU Center for Aging Research at the Regenstrief Institute, an associate professor of medicine at the IU School of Medicine and chief health care engineer with the Center for Health Innovation & Implementation Science. He also holds multiple advanced degrees in industrial engineering and psychology.