40 probationary troopers from the 74th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy class were issued their state police cars at the Indiana State Police garage located at the Indiana State Police Indianapolis District. Four of the officers are assigned to the Indiana State Police Lowell Post and will start solo patrol in the district which covers Jasper, Newton, Pulaski, Starke, Porter, Lake and LaPorte Counties. The probationary officers recently completed a three month field training period with veteran troopers. They will serve a one year probationary period before attaining permanent status as a trooper.
In addition to the field training, the new officers received approximately 917 hours of structured training in law enforcement techniques when they were assigned to Indiana State Police Recruit Academy. The curriculum included criminal law instruction, emergency vehicle operations training, psychology, and survival Spanish. They also developed skills in criminal investigation, vehicle crash investigation, and impaired driver prevention and detection.
Troopers assigned to the Lowell Post are:
Probationary Trooper Brant Goubeaux is a native of Highland and a graduate of Calumet Baptist High School in Griffith. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Indiana Wesleyan College.
Probationary Trooper Kurtis Jones is a Westville native and graduated from Westville High School. He attended Ball State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
Trooper Jason Pratt is a native of Portage and a graduate of Portage High School. He attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Mission Aviation Technology.
Probationary Trooper Andrew Rasala Junior is a native of Kouts and a graduate of Kouts High School. He attended Ivy Tech where he studied Criminal Justice.
All four Troopers will be patrolling Lower Lake, Jasper and Newton Counties.