The Indiana State Police Department recently held an awards and recognition ceremony in Indianapolis. The ceremony publicly recognized the achievements and deeds of self sacrifice and accomplishments that all too often go without the proper recognition. Members of the Indiana State Police Department from around the state were honored for their dedication to service, bravery, and commitment to the department and the citizens of Indiana.
Master Trooper Thomas Mechling was honored with a Lifesaving Award by Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas Carter. Mechling, who is assigned to the Bremen Post, has been a member of the department since 1990 and currently lives and patrols Elkhart County.
On September 23, 2013, while working a police escort detail on Interstate 94 in Porter County, Mechling observed a vehicle that had recently crashed into the center barrier wall. Master Trooper Mechling, along with another trooper, recognized the driver was in distress and immediately began performing CPR until EMS arrived.
District DUI awards were also presented to the trooper of each district with the highest annual total number of impaired driving arrests. Trooper Gretchen Deal earned the District DUI Award for the Bremen Post for her commitment in removing impaired drivers from Indiana roadways in 2013. Deal has served the state since her appointment in 2007. Deal lives in St. Joseph County and patrols both Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties.
Bremen Post Commander, Lieutenant Chad Larsh, was presented with a Combat Action Award for his courageous “at risk” performance of duty that stemmed from an incident in 2005. At the time Larsh was serving as an ISP SWAT member. Larsh and several other members of the SWAT team were confronted by a man armed with a shotgun in Rensselaer, Indiana.
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