Five Indiana State troopers assigned to the Toll Road Post recently received their patrol cars after completing three months in the ISP Field Training Program. The probationary troopers graduated from the 76th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy in October 2016. The entire class of 55 were issued their state police cars at the Indiana State Police Youth Education and Historical Center in Indianapolis on February 14th.
While at the academy the recruits received 22 weeks of intense training. Their graduation was the culmination of more than 950 hours of training that included criminal law, emergency vehicle operations and traffic law. The academy training also covered other facets of law enforcement including criminal investigation, crash investigation, self-defense, and other general law enforcement related areas of instruction.
Andrew Baldwin, 25, is from Peru, Indiana. He graduated from Maconaquah High School in Bunker Hill. He attended Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. He has been assigned to patrol duties along to Toll Road covering LaGrange and Steuben Counties.
Cody Brown, 22, is a native of Bedford, Indiana. He graduated from Bedford-North Lawrence High School in 2012. Since graduation Brown worked at Manchester Tank and Equipment as a welder. Brown was assigned to patrol duties in LaGrange and Steuben Counties.
Zarek Finley, 21, is a graduate of Lakeland Christian Academy and currently resides in Warsaw. Finley earned an Associate degree from Ancilla College and a Bachelor degree from Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. Finley will also be assigned to work LaGrange and Steuben Counties.
Kenneth Payonk, 22, is originally from Oak Forest, Illinois and a graduate of Carl Sandburg High School. Prior to attending the ISP academy Payonk attended Elmhurst College majoring in criminal justice. Payonk was assigned to Lake and Porter Counties.
Aaron Price, 32, is a graduate of Triton Junior-Senior High School in Bourbon, Indiana. Price most recently worked at Zimmer Biomet in Warsaw. Price will be working along the Toll Road in St. Joseph, Elkhart and Lagrange Counties.
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