JASPER – The Indiana State Police held their annual awards ceremony yesterday to recognize troopers and state police civilian employees throughout the state for various accomplishments and awards after being postponed several times due to COVID restrictions. ISP employees were recognized for their service, bravery, and devotion to the department and the citizens of Indiana.
Through her hard work and dedication to public service, Trooper Teresa Bowling has been selected as the “2020 Trooper of the District” by the Command Staff from the Jasper Post. The factors used to determine the “Trooper of the Year” included, but were not limited to, traffic and criminal enforcement, community involvement, and special assignments such as SCUBA, ERT, Meth Lab Team, Instructor ratings, or other services performed for the department that goes beyond normal expectations.
Trooper Bowling was awarded a plaque that read, “Presented to the Trooper who has achieved outstanding enforcement efforts in the areas of traffic and criminal enforcement, case and crash investigations, public information programs, and community service, and who has exemplified the professionalism and integrity expected of an Indiana State Trooper.”
Bowling graduated from the 78th ISP Recruit School in December of 2018, grew up in Dubois County, and graduated from Southridge School in 2012. Bowling attended and graduated from The University of Southern Indiana in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology.
Upon her graduation from the Indiana State Police Academy, Bowling was assigned to the Jasper Post where she has served as a road trooper, primarily patrolling Perry County. During her career, Bowling has served as a Drug Recognition Expert and a Standardized Field Sobriety Test instructor.
“Although 2020 was quite the anomaly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trooper Bowling still made a strong impact in her patrol area where she normally works the night shift. Although a lot of our proactive traffic initiatives were stifled due to COVID, Trooper Bowling still made 325 criminal arrests, arresting 84 people. She also had 37 OWI’s” said Lieutenant Jason Allen, Commander of the Jasper District.
Bowling resides in DuBois County.
