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Last updated on Wednesday, January 7, 2015
(UNDATED) - Four new Indiana State Troopers reported to Jasper District for their first assignment with the state department.
One is Bedford native Samuel Gillespie.
Trooper Gillespie is a Bedford North Lawrence High School and Danville Area Community College graduate where he majored in psychology.
Trooper Gillespie is the grandson of Trooper Robert C. Gillespie, who was killed in the line of duty on June 8, 1962. Trooper Robert Gillespie was killed in a traffic accident while rushing to a call for assistance near Mitchell. While traveling with his emergency lights on, he was forced to leave the road when a pickup truck slowed in front of him. Leaving the highway to avoid the truck, he swerved back on the highway to avoid another car in his path. A third car then struck his vehicle. He had served with the Indiana State Police for nearly 12 years. Trooper Gillespie was survived by his wife and six children. In 1959, he was awarded the agency's Gold Star Award for Valor when, in spite of gunshot wounds, he continued to pursue a couple who had fired at him.
Trooper Samuel Gillespie will primarily patrol Orange County.
Also new to the Jasper Post are Troopers Paul Nanney and Justin Mears, who will patrol in Crawford County and Kaitlyn Greene patrolling in Spencer County.
The four are part of the 74th Recruit Academy and join 38 other new troopers reporting for duty at 14 state police posts across the state.
The recruits took their oaths of office to serve and protect the citizens of the State of Indiana at their graduation on Tuesday, December 23, 2014, at the culmination of their training. Subjects studied during the academy included criminal and traffic law, crash investigations, emergency vehicle operations, defensive tactics, firearms, and a host of other subjects related to modern policing.
Troopers Samuel Gillespie, Kaitlyn Greene, Justin Mears, and Paul Nanney will work alongside seasoned troopers for the next three months prior to working within their assignments on solo patrol.
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