Safety Board

This 3-member board is appointed by the Mayor.  The Board Administrator can be located at Police Headquarters, Room 101.

The forms can be found in the Document Center of the City’s website.  

PHONE: (812)436-7897
FAX: (812)435-6175

The Board of Public Safety holds their meetings at 1:00 p.m. in room 301 of the Civic Center.  January through October the meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. In November and December the meetings are on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday. 

Citizens must contact the board of Public Safety to obtain forms.  These forms have been removed from the City website.  We apologize for the inconvenience.

The powers and duties of the Board of Public Safety are outlined in Indiana
State Code 36-8-3-2.  

To view the Indiana State Statute that pertains to the Board of Public Safety follow the link below:

 http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar8/ch3.2.html

It reads in part:  The Board of Public Safety of a city shall administer the police and fire departments of the city, except as provided by any statute or ordinance referred to in Indiana State Code 36-8-3-5.  The fire and police department both have Merit Commissions established by City Ordinance 2.55.010.

To view the Evansville Municipal Ordinance that pertains to The Board of Public Safety follow the link below:

http://www.codepublishing.com/in/evansville/

 (Once in the above link, enter 2.55.010 in the search field to view the ordinance)

The above referenced ordinance outlines the following departments as the responsibility of the Board of Public Safety:

• Police Department
• Fire Department, fire alarms and fire escapes
• Code Inspection and Enforcement
• Civil Defense (Emergency Management)

 The Board of Public Safety approves all purchases and expenditures of funds for equipment and supplies.

They are also empowered to do the following:

• Create and establish loading and unloading zones
• Establish Taxicab stands and bus-stop zones on streets
• Create and establish quiet zones for areas within 250 feet from a hospital
• Create and establish play streets and crosswalks
• Determine if a street/highway intersection shall be marked as no left/right turn
• Make temporary regulations for closure of streets, change in parking and directions of traffic in any public place where such traffic would create a hazardous or congested condition
• Place and maintain appropriate traffic signs
• Authorize the Police Department permits and emergency authorization affecting the use of the street
• Designate intersections where traffic control devices or signals are erected
• Designate safety zones for the protection of pedestrians
• Mark lanes for traffic on street pavements as such places as it may deem advisable
• Establish areas in the city which parking will be prohibited along public streets
• Establish fire lanes in shopping centers
• Establish rules and regulations for parades and permit closures
• Establish traffic-control regulations for through streets, one-way streets and alleys

City Ordinances that require Board of Public Safety Approval

• 5.50.100- Massage Therapy Clinic or School License
• 5.50.200- Horse-Drawn Carriage Licenses
• 12.05.180- Parade Permits (walk/run)
• 5.10.010- Festival Permits
• 5.40- Taxicab Driver Permits

The Board of Public Safety shall consist of three members who shall be appointed by the Mayor.  Not more than two members shall be of the same political party.  Two members of the board constitute a quorum.  The president of the Board of Public Safety shall serve on the Mayor’s cabinet.

Please note that all traffic control, traffic flow, lane changes of a permanent nature are given to Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for study before action is taken by the board members.