Agencies Work Together to Enhance the Putnamville Range
Putnamville—Local residents and businesses have partnered with the Indiana State Police and the Indiana Department of Corrections to enhance the appearance and functionality of the Putnamville Range. The range is currently used by troopers and correctional officers for training purposes and has always been part of the ISP Putnamville District and the Putnamville Correctional Facility nostalgia.
An open house was held this morning at 11:00 to preview the work that has been done and to recognize those who made it all happen. Forty-nine attendees were present and listened to remarks from various speakers and then enjoyed a cooked on site lunch provided by Hendricks Regional Health.
The idea of refurbishing the outdoor pavilion and other amenities started approximately two years ago during a conversation between Bainbridge (Putnam County) residents Tim Tillotson, a retired Marine and firearms enthusiast, and ISP Master Trooper Charlie Boller of the Putnamville Post. The duo then solicited help from then Putnamville Correctional Facility Superintendent Stan Knight, Director of Prison Facilities Dennis Taylor, and ISP Firearms Instructor Jim Hayes.
Over the course of the next few months, the group was able to obtain monetary donations, materials, services and labor to complete the upgrade. The enhancements included removal of old concrete and replaced with new concrete, new shooting shelter, fixed drainage, relocated water lines, clean-up and addition of new rock to the walkways and shooting lanes, new blacktop for parking area, new long gun holders in the shooting shelter, and new picnic tables.
Area businesses supporting this endeavor were Headley Hardware, Hassler Trucking, Martin Marietta Aggregates, Black Lumber Company, Jason Hartman (FC Tucker/Schneider Realty), Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter, Cash Concrete Products, Inc., Parke County Lumber LLC., Timber Arts, Indiana Department of Transportation (Cloverdale), Indiana Department of Corrections Putnamville Correctional Facility, Republic Services, Kleptz Aluminum and Building Supplies, Wabash Valley Asphalt, No-Sail Splash Guards, Bowman Guttering, and Hendricks Regional Health, and ISP employee Mike Klein. A few other businesses chose not to be recognized.
The speakers for the event were ISP Superintendent Doug Carter, Indiana Department of Corrections Putnamville Correctional Facility Superintendent Brian Smith, ISP Putnamville District Commander Lieutenant Dan Jones, ISP Master Trooper Charlie Boller, Alison Beauchamp of Black Lumber, Yvonne Culpepper of Hendricks Regional Health, and ISP Putnamville PIO Sergeant Joe Watts.
The highlight of the event was receiving words from retired ISP Trooper and former Sullivan County Sheriff, Joe Fitch. Fitch was on the ISP from 1956 to 1985 and participated in several pistol matches over his 29 years-of-service. During those 29 years, Fitch worked his way into the Top 20 of ISP pistol shooters, then into the Top 10, and ultimately the Top 5, where he was placed as high as 2nd best pistol shooter for one year. Fitch also served as an ISP firearms instructor during his tenure. After his remarks, Fitch displayed his shooting memorabilia and talked at length with media and attendees.
Master Trooper Charlie Boller stated, “On half of the Indiana State Police and the Putnamville District, I wish to sincerely thank all of our partners who were able to donate their time and resources to make this project a success”.
“The former superintendent Mr. Stanley Knight had a vision that I intended to see completed, and we have. I am proud that we could be a part of this project that benefits so many entities,” says current Putnamville Correctional Facility Superintendent Brian Smith.
This project demonstrated teamwork at its very best from the vendor donors, to the State Police, the Dept. of Transportation, IDOC Construction Services and the Putnamville Correctional Facility, people came together and made it happen. This was a definite success, and a special thank you to all the donors!
Pics are of the new range enhancements as of today, ISP Superintendent Doug Carter in uniform, IDOC PCF Superintendent Brian Smith, and retired ISP Trooper Joe Fitch (retro shirt on display at podium).
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SGT. JOE WATTS-ISP
ELESHA HIDALGO-IDOC
