FISHERS, Ind. – Fishers city leaders addressed the public Wednesday during the annual State of the City address and reflected on the past year while looking ahead to what’s next.

One of the major talking points for Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness was technology, some of which is unique to Fishers.

Fadness said he wanted to do something different this year by leading a panel with the public health director, police chief and fire chief.

“Fishers has evolved and transformed from what I would call a sleepy, suburban community to a pretty dynamic city in its own right,” Fadness said.

The team showed off a forensics device developed and 3D-printed by police in a Fishers lab. Officers use it to pick up shell casings without disturbing fingerprints left behind.

“We actually have the ability now to trace fingerprints and DNA off of spent shell casings,” Fadness said. “That really is an extraordinary step forward in the ability to identify perpetrators or people of interest in a crime.”

Police chief Ed Gebhart says his department is the first in Indiana to use Rapid DNA technology outside of Indiana State Police.

“I can take DNA – I can take it off material evidence – and in 90 minutes I can make a match if I know who the violator is,” Gebhart said.

The city has also responded to “increasing violence directed toward first responders” by equipping firefighters with personal ballistic vests.

“We had several near misses – nothing malicious – with our firefighters and our paramedics, and we realized the risk profile was increasing,” Steve Orusa, the Fishers Fire & Emergency Services chief, said.

A Public Safety Nuisance Ordinance went into effect last month for commercial buildings making excessive 911 calls. As for individuals calling repeatedly, Public Health Director Monica Heltz says they recently hired a social worker who collaborates with paramedics.

“We’re able to address more root cause issues in their lives to get them to a place where they don’t need to call emergency services often,” Heltz said.

Fadness did not focus on economic development in his address, but in his words, said Fishers is “on a roll.”

“We’re really excited about Andretti Global building their headquarters just down the road on 96th Street,” he said. “Got some downtown development, and we’re finishing off about a billion dollars of life science construction and development as well here.”

The mayor closed by encouraging the public to vote in favor of a referendum that would reduce taxes paid by homeowners next year while safeguarding teacher salaries.