Why Dave Hofmann Loves Lawrence
More than 25 years ago, Dave chose Lawrence as the place he wanted to raise his young family. He knew that Lawrence was a safe, clean, welcoming place with award-winning schools, excellent parks and roads, and great neighborhoods. He loves the inclusive, family friendly atmosphere and strong city partnerships with Lawrence Township Schools, businesses, churches, and children. In the time since, and especially over the past eight years, he watched and participated in unprecedented growth and development of the city and saw Lawrence transform into the beautiful destination it is today, with such great potential for even more positive progress!
Leadership in Lawrence
On January 1, 2016, following a nearly 20-year career with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and after retiring at the rank of District Commander, Dave was appointed by Mayor Steve Collier to be the Chief of Police for the Lawrence Police Department (LPD), a position he said was “A dream come true, and in my own back yard!”
Over the course of just six years, Chief Hofmann enjoyed many successes. He spearheaded the construction of an innovative LPD Headquarters building which today draws law enforcement officers from around the state to Lawrence. Under Dave’s leadership, LPD was the first to adopt a technologically superior body worn camera system that has since been deployed by more than 50 Indiana police agencies. He submitted fiscally responsible budget proposals for the LPD each year, and always operated within them, even as he upgraded the fleet of police vehicles by bringing larger, safer SUV-style vehicles into service in Lawrence. He also created LPD’s first-ever Behavioral Health & Community Outreach position, designed to serve people with issues concerning mental health, emotional and substance abuse, and homelessness by guiding them to professional assistance, and away from the criminal justice system.
The LPD became so well-known for fairness and professionalism during Chief Hofmann’s tenure that the agency was invited to participate in the widely popular hit-reality television program, “Live PD,” which featured officers (in real time) performing their daily (and sometimes dangerous) tasks with amazing dedication and compassion. LPD officers quickly became fan favorites nationally and were seen by tens of millions of viewers on nearly 100 episodes spanning three years.
Experience at All Levels of Lawrence Operations
Dave retired from policing in 2022 after 27 years to accept the position of Chief of Staff for Lawrence Mayor Steve Collier. In that role, Dave works hard to support and improve local initiatives and projects related to Streets & Roads, Parks & Recreation, Stormwater Projects, Public Works, Utility Services, Community Outreach Events, Economic Development, Public Safety, Ft. Harrison Re-Use and all the activities of Lawrence’s many local boards, commissions, committees, and sub-committees that make our city run so efficiently. Dave is very impressed by the incredible transparency associated with all city operations, but especially with the annual budgeting process and the award-winning budgets of the past six years that can easily be found online.
Hofmann, a 1992 graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, holds a Graduate Certificate from the University of Virginia and is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree at IUPUI’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He is a graduate of the 250th session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and the IMPD Leadership Academy. Hofmann is a member of Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (AIM), the Lawrence Township Republicans Club, and has supported the Lawrence Kiwanis Club, Ft. Ben Rotary Club and Lawrence Exchange Club in a wide variety of ways.