Indiana House passes National Guard police bill INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana National Guard could create a dedicated force for law enforcement missions under a bill advanced Wednesday afternoon. The provision, part of a broader public safety bill, allows the adjutant general of the Nat ional Guard to establish a force consisting of Army military police and Air National Guard security forces, who would have to first receive supplemental instruction on law enforcement matters specific to Indiana. Whenever activated by the governor, the force would have full police powers, including the authority to make arrests, carry firearms and conduct searches and seizures of people or property. The bill passed the Indiana House largely along party lines, with Republican Rep. Danny Lopez, of Carmel, joining all Democrats present in voting against it. The measure now moves to the Senate. House Republicans said the measure would give Indiana a better option in case of a serious emergency. Bill author Rep. Steve Bartels, R-Eckerty, said the measure does not create any authority the Guard does not already have under existing law. Instead, he said it ensures any Guard members who are called up for a law enforcement mission have the correct training. Bartels said there are not enough police to cover every contingency. Military police and security forces are specific job functions within the Army and Air Force, respectively. Those personnel receive training specific to those functions in addition to basic military training. Under current state law, the governor already has the authority to call out the Guard for emergencies including insurrection and breach of the peace, as well as “any other time the governor considers necessary.” During an interview with News 8 on Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Mike Braun said he thinks the bill makes sense. “If the Natonal Guard is ever needed, I think it’s wise to have a portion of them trained because you’re hearing that ICE agents aren’t trained to do that,” the Republican governor said, referring to the ongoing outrage over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol conduct in Minneapolis. House Democrats said the bill erodes the longstanding doctrine of not using the military for civilian law enforcement purposes. They said the timing of the bill is poor given the shootings in Minneapolis and the Trump administration’s use of military forces as part of its immigration crackdown. “We’re turning our military, soldiers, on the people that they serve with and the people that they live with in the community,” Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, said. “And I just don’t think that’s something that we, as Hoosiers, should want or do want.” ...read more read less