The Bloomington Police Department arrested eight people Tuesday in and around Seminary Park for five felonies and nine misdemeanors related to drug dealing and possession, according to a Wednesday press release by BPD Capt. Ryan Pedigo.
The arrests came after an unknown number of investigations and general surveillance of the park Tuesday, Pedigo wrote in the release. At least six out of the eight people arrested have their address listed as “transient” on MyCase. Cocaine, methamphetamine and related paraphernalia are drugs and drug-related items mentioned in the charges from Pedigo’s announcement.
Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson thanked the BPD’s efforts on public safety in the release.
“Everyone in Bloomington deserves to be safe, to feel safe, and to be protected from harm,” Thomson wrote. “That promise extends to every neighborhood, every public space, and every individual in our community, including people experiencing homelessness, addiction, or crisis.”
According to the release, investigators will continue to focus on individuals selling and using drugs in public parks and the B-Line trail following the Tuesday arrests.
“I am proud of the Bloomington Police Department’s sustained work and grateful to the officers and detectives who consistently deliver public safety with patience, discernment, professionalism, and care,” Thomson wrote. “Let me be clear: criminal conduct, including drug dealing, will not be tolerated in Bloomington.”
Similar arrests were made in July 2025. Thomson addressed housing challenges in Bloomington at a press conference the week after those arrests.
BPD Chief Michael Diekhoff affirmed Thomson’s warning against illegal drugs in the release and said arrests of those dealing and using illegal drugs would continue in parks and public spaces.
“The safety of Bloomington residents and visitors remains a top priority,” Diekhoff wrote in the release. "The Bloomington Police Department is committed to holding individuals accountable through strict enforcement of the law."
