Campbell votes no on House Bill 1343, stands against paramilitary police in Indiana’s communities

Today, Jan. 28, State Rep. Chris Campbell (D-West Lafayette) voted no on House Bill 1343, which includes a provision further authorizing the establishment of a military police force within the Indiana National Guard. The governor will have the authority to send this police force into any part of the state whenever he or she deems necessary, without the consent of the community or its elected officials.

“HB 1343 poses a serious risk to our local communities,” Campbell said. “I respect our National Guardsmen. I deeply appreciate the work they do for our country and our state. But they aren’t trained for local law enforcement. They’re here for our protection, not here for policing. 

“There are established protocols for the domestic deployment of the National Guard, and those protocols should be maintained. No governor, Republican or Democrat, should have the absolute power to deploy a quickly trained, paramilitary force in our neighborhoods.

“I don’t want soldiers conducting searches and seizures or pulling people over. That invites potential chaos and tragedy into our communities. We’re seeing that tragedy live on the national news in Minneapolis. That’s what happens when quickly trained, paramilitary officers enforce the law on civilians. 

“Under this bill, Indiana would have one of the most expansive state-level military policing laws in the United States. We're headed down a dangerous path. It is a slap in the face to Hoosiers’ personal freedoms and the promises our country was founded upon.”