INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana State Police Indianapolis District Commander, Lieutenant Josh Watson, recently formed a squad of highly motivated, experienced Troopers to focus on criminal activity within the district. The Indianapolis District is comprised of fifty-three Troopers and nine supervisors who patrol the communities within Marion, Hamilton, Boone, Hendricks, Johnson, Shelby, and Hancock Counties. Although much of ISP’s responsibilities are the 200 plus miles of interstate in the Indianapolis District, as a full-service police agency we are committed to all of our communities to provide effective patrols, investigations, intelligence gathering, innovative application of current technology, and all crimes policing efforts. This model has proven to be very effective within several other Indiana State Police Districts.
In 2022, Indianapolis District troopers responded to more than 28,500 calls for service including 9,401 crashes, assisted 4,510 stranded motorists, and responded to 3,188 traffic hazards (something in the roadway.) Additionally, these troopers conducted over 25,000 traffic stops for various violations. Troopers are often called to investigate criminal activity as well, however, this newly formed all-crimes policing squad, made up of six troopers and one sergeant, will utilize analytical data along with criminal intelligence to proactively patrol high-crime areas and work to make our communities safer.
All troopers are encouraged to be proactive, and often times a traffic stop leads to serious criminal investigations. This ACP squad will work closely with district detectives, other troopers, and other agencies to gather information and implement strategic plans to detect and deter criminal activity. The goal is to utilize high visibility patrols and send a clear message to those responsible for criminal activity that the Indiana State Police will utilize all resources available to hold them accountable for their actions.
Since its inception this squad has already had investigations leading to the recovery of stolen guns, and narcotics and the arrests of serious violent felons.
Lieutenant Josh Watson stated. “All of our Troopers are equipped and trained to work in a proactive capacity and fully investigate criminal activity; however having a squad with a dedicated mission of proactive patrol with advanced training and resources affords us a greater opportunity to address serious crime in communities throughout our district. Allowing them to focus on problems identified through professional analytics and partnerships with the communities we serve creates an environment where a team with real-world experience can move into an identified area and effect change for the good of the community.”
The Indiana State Police is currently hiring Troopers, for more information about the hiring process visit www.IndianaTrooper.com.
