When I was elected Pike Trustee in 2018, I wanted to make sure that our fire department would reflect the diversity of our fantastic community and township. I am happy to report that we have nearly doubled the number of African American firefighters during our three years in office.

We still have work to do, but I am very proud of this accomplishment.

During my administration, we also appointed Pike Township’s first Fire Department Chief, Arthur Borel, and we appointed the fire department’s first African American Batallion Chief.

A battalion chief serves below the chief and oversees a fire station. We have five fire stations in Pike Township.

The Pike Township Trustee is responsible for the Pike Township Fire Department and its $30 million budget. Pike Township has one of the largest fire departments in the state and is one of three locally controlled fire departments left in Marion County. Wayne and Decatur Townships still have fire departments, but the rest of the county’s fire protection services are consolidated under the Indianapolis Fire Department.

Pike Township is home to over 80,000 people, half of whom are African American and 15% who are Latino.