Earlier this week, a 2005 West Washington graduate became one of fifty-one probationary troopers from the 78th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy class who were issued their state police cars at the Indiana State Police Youth and Education and Historical Center in Indianapolis.
Two of the officers are assigned to the Indiana State Police Sellersburg Post and start solo patrol in the district which covers Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington Counties.
Trooper Jared Ferguson is 32 years old and is originally from Campbellsburg, Indiana.
Jared graduated from West Washington High School in 2005 before attending Vincennes University where he received an Associate’s Degree in Law Enforcement studies in 2009 and later his Bachelor’s Degree in Homeland Security and Public Safety in 2016.
Trooper Ferguson has prior experience as a Floyd County correctional officer and has served in the Indiana Army National Guard since 2005. Ferguson currently resides in New Albany, Indiana and enjoys being a father to his five-year-old son, working out, reading and outdoor activities.
The second trooper is from Corydon, Trooper Mackenzie Benham, 28, of Corydon, Indiana.
She is a 2008 graduate of Corydon Central High School and a 2012 graduate of Ivy Tech Community College where she received her Associate Degree in Office Administration with a medical concentration.
She is married to her husband of five years, Casey, and enjoys participating in Crossfit, boating, and spending time with her family.
The probationary officers recently completed a three month field training period with veteran troopers in addition to over 1,000 hours of structured training in law enforcement techniques as well as hands-on practical and scenario-based training at the Indiana State Police Recruit Academy.
The curriculum included criminal law instruction, emergency vehicle operations, psychology, traffic law, crash investigations, self-defense, first responder and other general law enforcement related training.
For more information on becoming an Indiana State Police Trooper go to www.in.gov/isp and click the “career opportunities” link.
