PARK RANGERS

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code tit. I, ch. 279, art. II, div. 6

in effect

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 279-261 Created; duties and responsibilities.

Sec. 279-261. - Created; duties and responsibilities. (a) There is hereby created a branch of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to be known as the park rangers division, which branch shall be under the direction and command of the chief or his or her designee. (b) The park rangers division shall: (1) Provide for the safety and security of all park and recreation facilities, services, and customers of the city department of parks and recreation; (2) Manage the park ranger program; (3) Manage the park ranger weed & seed program; (4) Develop and manage educational safety programs for the department of parks and recreation; (5) Develop, manage and execute safety policy and procedures at park and recreation facilities of the department of parks and recreation; (6) Implement and manage OSHA standards and monitor compliance in the department of parks and recreation; (7) Enforce state statutes, city ordinances and rules of the department of parks and recreation on properties owned by the department of parks and recreation; (8) Develop and perform environmental and safety programs for school and civic groups; (9) Develop and implement community policing strategies for properties owned by the department of parks and recreation; and (10) Perform such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the chief. (G.O. 41, 2009, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 279-262 Administration; uniform and insignia.

Sec. 279-262. - Administration; uniform and insignia. (a) Members of the park rangers division shall be appointed by the chief. The administrative policies of the park rangers division, as well as the supervision, promotion, and discipline of members of the division, shall be established and administered by the chief or his or her designee by the adoption of rules and regulations governing the same. (b) All manner of uniform, badge, insignia, equipment and other identifying characteristics of the park rangers division shall be designed and established by the chief. (G.O. 41, 2009, § 1; G.O. 13, 2016, § 23)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 279-263 Eligibility for appointment; application and examinations.

Sec. 279-263. - Eligibility for appointment; application and examinations. (a) Any citizen of the United States who is a resident of the county and who is not younger than twenty-one (21) nor older than sixty-five (65) years of age shall be eligible to make application to become a member of the park rangers division. Applicants shall make application in the form and manner and undergo such physical and academic examinations and interviews as the chief shall require. (b) Persons appointed to the park rangers division of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) shall complete the IMPD Law Enforcement Training Board Academy, within one year of hiring and serve a probationary period specified by the chief, except those persons transferring to the park rangers division from a recognized police agency with a LETB Certification. Current officers appointed to the park rangers division prior to this section's passage into law shall be grandfathered at the discretion of the IMPD chief. Persons appointed in the park rangers division shall adhere to the annual in-service requirements under Indiana Administrative Code governed by the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board. (G.O. 41, 2009, § 1; G.O. 13, 2016, § 23)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 279-264 Conferral of police powers.

Sec. 279-264. - Conferral of police powers. Members of the park rangers division shall have the same police powers as regular members of the metropolitan law enforcement agency pursuant to section 279-223 of the Code, subject to such limitations as the chief, in consultation with the mayor, may establish by adopting rules and regulations governing the same. (G.O. 41, 2009, § 1; G.O. 13, 2016, § 23)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 279-265 Qualifications; mandatory retirement age; termination procedure.

Sec. 279-265. - Qualifications; mandatory retirement age; termination procedure. (a) A member of the park rangers division may not be a member of any regular police force. (b) Members of the park rangers division may serve from their appointment until reaching the mandatory retirement age of seventy (70) years, or until terminated pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. (c) Any member of the park rangers division may be terminated by the chief for any reason. (G.O. 41, 2009, § 1; G.O. 13, 2016, § 23)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 279-266 Unlawful impersonation of a park ranger.

Sec. 279-266. - Unlawful impersonation of a park ranger. It shall be a violation of this code for a person to wear a uniform, badge or insignia of the park rangers division, or hold himself or herself out to be a member of the park rangers division, unless that person has been duly appointed and sworn as provided by section 279-262 of the code. (G.O. 41, 2009, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 279-267 Park rangers division transferred to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Sec. 279-267. - Park rangers division transferred to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Notwithstanding any provision of this division to the contrary, the provisions of this section shall govern the transfer of the park rangers division from the department of parks and recreation to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. (1) The park rangers division of the department of parks and recreation shall, on the effective date of this ordinance, be transferred to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and shall constitute the park rangers division created under section 279-266 of this division, subject thereafter to all the rights and responsibilities provided in new division 6 of chapter 279, article II of the Code. (2) The members of the park rangers division of the department of parks and recreation shall, on the effective date of this division, cease to be employees of the department of parks and recreation and shall become employees of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department as provided in section 279-266 of this division. Such members retain their law enforcement powers and their status as sworn officers throughout the process of the transfer of the park rangers division; therefore, such members shall not need to take an additional oath of office to perform their duties as employees of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. (3) Such transferred members shall retain credit for all purposes for their length of service in the park rangers division prior to the transfer; however, no member shall be entitled to retain his or her appointed rank of corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, or major. Members with one of these appointed ranks shall, on the effective date of this ordinance, serve at the pleasure of the chief, and may be reassigned to the rank of ranger without cause. (4) The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department shall assume all labor agreements that are in effect on the effective date of this division with respect to such transferred members. (G.O. 41, 2009, § 4; G.O. 13, 2016, § 23)

Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIORAD_CH279INMEPODE_ARTIIOR_DIV6PARAFetched: 10/27/2026