Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police to formally endorse Foust for Marion County Prosecutor

Republican Philip Foust currently serves as clerk-treasurer for the town of Speedway. But for six years, he worked under Mears and former Chief Prosecutor Terry Curry as a deputy prosecutor.

The Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police plans to endorse Republican candidate Philip Foust for Marion County Prosecutor.

Foust and order President Rick Snyder will gather at the Indianapolis FOP Lodge Monday afternoon to discuss the endorsement and Foust’s campaign, according to a press release.

The Fraternal Order of Police is a national organization that aims to improve the working conditions and safety of police officers through education, legislation and employee representation, according to its website. The order has several local organizations, including Indianapolis Lodge #86.

Snyder has been a longstanding critic of current Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, a Democrat seeking reelection. Snyder told The Indiana Lawyer in September that the prosecutor’s office has developed several systemic issues under Mears’ leadership.

Snyder criticized the removal of neighborhood-level prosecutors that existed before Mears took office. At the time, these prosecutors were assigned to different neighborhoods across the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s district and were readily available to residents visiting IMPD offices in the area.

“That was especially important for lower-level offenses like nonviolent felony offenses, property crimes, vagrancy issues, things that were affecting the business community like vandalism and thefts, and even some robberies,” Snyder said.

The removal of these prosecutors from the district into the centrally located prosecutor’s office led to a communication breakdown between police and deputy prosecutors, Snyder said.

Earlier this summer, the order took a vote of no confidence against Mears, accusing him of being too soft on crime.