The City of Mishawaka and the Mishawaka Police Department (MPD) collaborate with an unwavering commitment to ensure the safety of its residents. Public safety is the city’s top priority, with significant budget allocations directed toward police resources. Community engagement and department innovation continue to reduce crime and create a safer environment for Mishawaka residents.
“I have been in office now 15 years, and crime has gone down 13 of those 15 years,” said Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood. “I attribute that in large part to us making public safety our number one priority and biggest line item in our budget.”
One key initiative fostered to increase the well-being of its officers and the safety of its community is the MPD’s switch to 12-hour shifts. Since January 1, MPD officers are now required to work two, 12-hour shifts and receive every other weekend off. As an added benefit, the MPD provides double time for all overtime and 1.5 time for training overtime. This shift optimizes officer availability on the streets while providing officers with increased personal time and improved job satisfaction and retention.
“It is very challenging to provide law enforcement right now,” said Mishawaka Police Chief Alex Arendt. “Officers are getting older and retiring out, and it is hard to backfill them when there is a lot of training and testing required. Over the last three years, we went from being fully staffed to 14 officers with no real means of hiring back up to a full staff in the budget in a reasonable amount of time. Essentially, we decided to change our shift model and get everyone’s full support.”
The transition proves to boost police officer compensation, making the department one of the highest paid in the State of Indiana. As a result of these efforts and competitive salaries, the prior staffing issues for the MPD continue to improve. Currently, the MPD is at full staffing level, with 99 committed, full-time individuals.
“We are blessed to have a community that values our police department and respects the job they do so much that they are demanding more police officers on the streets and in their neighborhoods,” said Arendt.
Another key initiative is the MPD’s enhanced partnership with the School City of Mishawaka to improve safety and visibility through a hybrid model for school resource officers. This innovative approach allows retired officers to serve as school employees while remaining sworn reserve officers. The School City of Mishawaka initially wanted 10 school resource officers and only three were available. The new model is working to quickly staff the needed positions.
“We worked with the School City of Mishawaka collaboratively and came up with a new program—a best practice for others,” said Arendt. “By collaborating with the school city, we strengthen our commitment to student safety and create an environment where children feel secure and supported in their learning.”
The City of Mishawaka also bolsters the MPD’s community connections through initiatives like Neighborhood Watch meetings and local events such as “Coffee With A Cop.” Together, the city and the MPD are fostering positive relationships and encouraging residents to share their concerns openly. In addition, strong communication between the MPD and other city departments—such as fire, code enforcement, and engineering—ensures that minor issues are addressed promptly.
“On behalf of the MPD, it is a great partnership that we have with the mayor and with council that public safety, as a result of the community expecting it, is a priority,” said Arendt. “Their investment in the MPD and public safety better provide for the safety and the quality of life for the community that we all serve. This is a very good community to live and work in, and the support all around the city is what makes it successful.”
Looking ahead, the city aims to focus on enhancing the quality-of-life improvement to attract residents and promote economic development. By investing in parks, infrastructure and community projects, Mishawaka will serve as a desirable place to live, work, and raise a family. By addressing community issues and improving public spaces, these efforts aim to sustain safety and reduce the need for public safety services.
“We are getting close to another FBI report and I anticipate it will be a good one,” said Arendt. “From all of what we have seen here, we expect the trend to continue. I would attribute the success to the good, hard, honest work of our Mishawaka Police Department and the officers there who go above and beyond on a daily basis.” For more information on the Mishawaka Police Department, please visit its website here.
