Dant Chesser votes no on HB 1343, stands against authorizing a military police force

Today, Jan. 28, State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (D-Jeffersonville) 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 deems necessary, without the consent of the community or its elected officials.

Dant Chesser released the following statement:

“Our local public safety efforts are best administered by our local public safety agencies. It should always be our community leaders' decision to ask for assistance from the governor before a military response is deployed. I trust in the ability of our local law enforcement agencies to keep us safe and to know when reinforcement is needed. 

“I fully support the provisions in HB 1343 that aim to provide transparency for veterans' services, and I have the utmost respect for our National Guardsmen. Their sacrifices for our country are deeply appreciated. But I can’t, in good conscience, vote for a bill that puts our communities at risk. 

“We’ve seen the worst of what can happen with absolute control. It’s dangerous to give Indiana’s governor, whoever it may be, the sole authority to deploy troops on our streets with no checks or balances.”