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After a year in which youth homicides hit a high in Indianapolis, the city’s Office of Public Health and Safety is adding staff with a focus on prevention.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett introduced the new hire, Ralph Durrett Jr., on Wednesday afternoon in front of two dozen boys and young men from New B.O.Y., a mentoring program focused on keeping children off the streets and out of the criminal justice system.
The mayor spoke directly to the crowd, stating that Durrett’s work won’t be visible overnight, but “you can certainly expect Ralph to be a continuous, visible presence throughout our community, and particularly with those of us who happen to be young—I’m not in that category,” Hogsett said. “But many of you are, and we care about your safety.”
For Durrett, whose childhood included work with New B.O.Y. —which stands for “breed of youth”—and founder Kareem Hines, it was a reintroduction.
While homicides as a whole have decreased in the city since a record-high in 2021, homicides of teens and children below the age of 19 have increased. Indianapolis had a record 44 homicides in that category last year, according to an Axios and Chalkbeat analysis.
These kids are being robbed of the opportunity to thrive, Durrett told IBJ. Leaving behind his work with the city in real estate, he took on a different role to help kids.
“I just wanted to put myself on the forefront of this issue, put myself on the front line … and you know, make a positive change in the community,” Durrett said.
The administration first announced renewed efforts to focus specifically on youth violence in January. The Office of Public Health and Safety has also hired an assistant director of social determinants of health, Alexis Weaver. Both Durrett and Weaver will work under Office of Public Health and Safety Director Martine Romy Bernard-Tucker.
Durrett, whose official title is chief violence prevention officer, will seek to build on existing partnerships with youth-serving community organizations such as New B.O.Y. and Groundwork Indy. He will also focus on supporting teens and young adults who have been involved with the legal system by connecting them with services.
According to the Office of Public Health and Safety, the aim of the new position is to build the necessary infrastructure to prevent violent crimes in Indianapolis through comprehensive support services.
Durrett, 38, was raised on Indianapolis’ near-west-side, in Ransom Place. He and his wife, Ronae, have two children, and he regularly volunteers with grassroots organizations to facilitate youth groups and visit schools to discuss life skills and college prep.
Prior to his new role, Durrett was the real estate capital projects manager for the city of Indianapolis’ Office of Finance and Management.
He received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from IUPUI in 2018 and a doctorate in jurisprudence from Indiana University McKinney School of Law in 2022.
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