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Michael Demos
Internship Summer 2015
Dr. Colburn
Indiana State Police Internship
This summer I did a 160-hour internship with the Indiana State Police. The
Indiana State Police is broken down into fourteen geographical districts. Each
district has two interns that are required to report to their specific headquarters.
Throughout my time at the Lafayette district, I learned and experienced many new
and interesting things through the many hours of ride alongs I took part in. While
my internship experience was limited to only ride alongs, I still was able to learn
and have a better understanding of the Indiana State Police.
In the beginning of the twentieth century, automobiles were becoming more
and more popular. This also gave criminals a quick means of escape from county to
county. Local sheriffs only had jurisdiction in their specific counties, so
apprehending criminals was extremely difficult. In addition to criminals, the
automobile surge brought on a high number of motor vehicle crashes that resulted
in numerous injuries and fatalities. Even as the safety features on automobiles
became better, local sheriffs still did not have jurisdiction outside county lines. This
all would soon change for the better, “On July 15th, 1921 the Indiana legislature
created the Indiana Motor Vehicle Police. The Motor Vehicle Police became the first
law enforcement agency in the state to have statewide jurisdiction to enforce traffic
laws” (Olsen). The agency started out with 16 members that had limited authority,
solely focusing on enforcing the rules of the road and other motor vehicle laws. But

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as the 1920’s progressed, crime began to increase. This caused an outcry for a
statewide full service law enforcement agency. By 1927, Indiana took the first steps
toward creating a statewide police agency. “In 1927 an act of legislation created a
group of three “bureaus.” One bureau reported and recordedcrashes, one
conducted criminal investigations, and the third was the Bureau of Criminal
Identification and served as a clearinghouse for fingerprint identification, which was
becoming a widely accepted method of establishing the identity of individuals”
(Olsen). By 1932, Paul V. McNutt was elected Governor. Through him, state
agencies were reorganized and consolidated. This gave way to the forming of the
Indiana State Police Bureau.
One of the most notorious criminals helped put the Indiana State Police on
the map. Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s the United States was struggling with the
Great Depression and prohibition. This time period gave rise to names like Al
Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. Indiana had its own public enemy number one who
was born and raised in Mooresville Indiana. John Dillinger was one of the most
notorious gangsters of his day. After being in and out of prison, Dillinger hooked up
with his old prison mates creating a gang that committed many crimes in Indiana.
Over the next several years, the Indiana State Police pursued Dillinger and his gang
throughout the Midwest. The lack of manpower, shortage of effective equipment,
and lack of communication caused Dillinger to be able to escape multiple times. On
July 22, 1934, Anna Sage helped the FBI set up Dillinger. During the altercation,
shots were fired and Dillinger ended up dead. While the Indiana State Police was
not responsible for the final apprehension of Dillinger, their efforts in pursuit of the

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public enemy number one was an important chapter in the history and tradition of
the Indiana State Police.
Their mission at the Indiana State Police is to provide the most professional,
effective, and courteous police service possible at all times and with every endeavor.
Within this mission, they have five goals, “Number one, the protection of life and
property will be our primary focus. Number two, we will uphold and defend federal
and Indiana state constitutions and enforce all laws. Number three, we will address
crimes and offenders with diligent, conscientious, and proactive initiatives. Number
four, we will ensure public safety on our roadways with vigorous and directed
traffic enforcement. Number five, we will assist the public and all police agencies at
any time and in any manner possible” (IN.gov). Throughout my time with the
Indiana State Police I consistently saw professional and effective police service even
in the most stressful situations. For this reason, they are seen as an exemplary
force.
The Indiana State Police is the statewide law enforcement agency for Indiana.
They are considered one of the premier state police agencies in America. The
department has over 1,300 law enforcement personal, according to IN.gov. The
starting salary for an ISP recruit who is in training is $1,445.75 bi-weekly. Once
recruits complete the academy, the starting annual salary is $39,213 as a
Probationary Trooper. Other benefits that employees receive include twelve
vacation days annually, uniform, ordinance, automotive, and other equipment
provided by ISP, individual or family medical, prescription, dental, and vision
insurance, life insurance, and a pension plan. While the pay is low, many Troopers

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explained the freedom of being able to go wherever you want within your two
counties was worth the smaller salary.
The great characteristics about the Indiana State Police are the different
career paths you can pursue within the organization. While all Troopers begin their
careers on the road, many have the opportunity to pursue other fields. What makes
the Indiana State Police so special and risky are the responsibilities it takes to
perform their duties on a daily basis. These duties include, “Making independent
decisions, performing duties alone, and requiring independent judgment to make
decisions for unique circumstances” (IN.gov). Along with responsibilities, ISP
Trooper’s have a wide variety of duties that they can perform from apprehending
criminal and traffic law violators to assisting public and all police agencies at
anytime and in any manner possible.
The application process for the Indiana State Police is highly selective and
difficult to get in and complete. Some requirements include, United States citizen,
21 or older and less than 40, valid drivers license, high school diploma, 20/50
vision, and must be willing to work anywhere in the state of Indiana. The selection
process takes about seven months. Throughout these seven months, components of
the process include: application, written examination, physical ability tests, oral
interview, polygraph, background investigation, medical and psychological
examinations, toxicology screening, superintendent’s review, and recruit academy.
Once this selection process is over, the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy provides
academic and field instruction designed to familiarize the Trooper Trainee with the
performance, functions, and duties of an Indiana State Trooper. The academy is 26

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weeks long of grueling intensive training in and out of the classroom. The facility is
located in Plainfield, Indiana. Training is conducted Monday through Friday, lodging
and meals are provided. The academy is one of the toughest in the nation because of
the type of training recruits receive, many instructors also train recruits in a
military fashion through their actions and words. At any time a recruit can back out
of the academy and dismiss his application.
Once training is complete and all tests are passed, recruits begin working the
road. For the first couple months there is a senior Trooper shadowing their
performance, making sure they are doing their job to the best of their abilities. New
Troopers are placed in the old Ford Crown Victoria’s. Once established, Troopers
are given either the 2011 or 2012 Dodge Chargers. They are also issued a Sig Saur
P227 handgun and a Remington 870 Shotgun. The uniform is another proud and
traditional symbol of the Indiana State Police. Since the 1940’s the uniform has
continued to stay the same, and is something many Indiana citizens recognize.
While many Troopers are proud of the tradition, others would like to see some
minor changes within the uniform as far as comfort and tactical benefits. One of the
best perks of being a State Trooper is the fact that you are allowed to keep your car.
All gas is paid for by the agency; car repairs and payments are all covered by the
agency as well.
Major Patrick M. O’Connor is the special operations commander. As I
mentioned before, there are many career paths in which a Trooper can take his
career too. These divisions include: the aviation section, the explosive ordnance
disposal team, the emergency response team (SWAT), the capitol police, the motor

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patrol unit, the special events planning unit, underwater search and recovery team,
the mobile field force, the hostage crisis negotiators, and the k-9 program. Going
into detail, “The Aviation Section provides air support for law enforcement and
other agencies across the state. With a fleet of fourteen aircraft, the section assists
with traffic enforcement, fugitive and victim search and rescue, criminal
surveillance and disaster assessments” (IN.gov). The next section is the explosive
ordnance disposal, “The EOD Team is regularly called on by both local and federal
law enforcement agencies to dispose of explosive devices and outdated chemicals.
The team, which includes eleven certified bomb technicians and more than thirty-
five members trained in explosive ordnance recognition, averages between twenty-
five and thirty render safes or disarmed devices per year” (IN.gov). The next section
is the emergency response team who respond to high-risk situations. “To be part of
the team, members must demonstrate proficiency in weapons and specialized
equipment, unarmed defense techniques, building entry and clearance, rappelling
and field search” (IN.gov). The rest of the special units are self explanatory and
important to the safety of Indiana residents. With ISP being so versatile, agencies
higher and lower always turn to ISP for help in critical situations. This is another
reason why the Indiana State Police is regarded as a premier agency.
Special operations is not the only career path available on ISP, special
investigations is also a path that many Troopers can take. Major Michael L. Snider is
the special investigations commander and oversees the efforts of this department.
Within this division there are 263 sworn personnel and 13 civilian personnel
assigned to each of the fourteen districts. The special investigations division is

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made up of three different sections. These sections include; the meth suppression
section, the special investigations section, and the drug enforcement section. The
meth suppression section focuses on locating, cleaning, and disposing of meth labs
around Indiana. The special investigations section is made up of detectives that are
assigned to a specific specialty, whether that be vehicle crimes, organized crime,
homicide, etc. The drug enforcement section is comprised of undercover and
detectives who’s primary responsibility it to combat illicit drug activity. Just like
special operations, the special investigation division works hand in hand with upper
and lower law enforcement agencies on cases throughout Indiana.
In 1933 the Bureau of Criminal investigation and Identification became part
of the Indiana State Police. Today, “The Indiana State Police has four regional
laboratories located in Indianapolis, Evansville, Lowell, and Fort Wayne. These labs
employ over 176 employees, which includes approximately 41 sworn officers and
135 civilians” (Houze). These laboratories are opened not only to the Indiana State
Police, but also to all Law enforcement statewide and are essentials tools
throughout the state of Indiana. The newest laboratory, which is located in
Indianapolis, was built in 2005. It has state of the facilities and equipment and is
organized into five sections. These sections include: biology, chemistry,
comparative science, crime scene and field support, and management and
administration. The Forensics and Health Sciences laboratory is a key tool in
uncovering evidence for law enforcement through DNA testing, fingerprint testing,
ballistics identification, etc. Without this sector so readily available, law

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enforcement in Indiana would have to wait for evidence analysis and experience a
slower process when trying to solve a crime or catch a suspect.
With all agencies or businesses, there are always problems or issues that
effect employees within the group. After spending lots of time with Troopers, I kept
hearing some of the same issues that they had to deal with. The Indiana State Police
has roughly 1,300 employees, but only 300 to 400 of them work the road. That
means there are around 900 employees that do not work the road. This creates a lot
of pressure on the 300 to 400 Troopers that have to work the whole state of Indiana.
That being said on any given shift there may be one State Trooper covering two to
three counties at a time. This can create slow response time and make it harder to
catch suspects. In an article titled, “The Impact of Community Growth on the
Staffing and Structure of a Midsized Police Department” authors looked at the
impact of community growth on the organizational structure and staffing resources
of midsize police departments. According to authors Leonard and Maloney,
“Population growth remains one issue that may affect staffing needs for police
departments. An increase in population will result in additional calls for service,
which will result in a need for additional police personnel” (Leonard& Maloney,
2002). This could be another reason why ISP Troopers feel overwhelmed during
their work shifts. In the end, it is not about the amount of people that ISP has to
cover, it is about the amount of territory they have to cover. Without adequate
staffing, Troopers will be stretched thin over large areas of land.

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Along with not having enough Troopers to work the road, many Troopers
mentioned being underfunded. Compared to surrounding Police agencies, the
Troopers at ISP are under paid. Many programs and other important aspects of ISP
have either been cut or defunded completely. An example of this within ISP is the
PIO program. In the past this program received a lot of funding for recruiting and
other activities, now they are practically left with little money to spend. In the
article “Pay, Reference Points, and Police Performance” written by Alexandre Mas
focuses on the suggestion that pay raises reduce job performance. After conducting
a study on New Jersey police, “The findings support the idea that considerations of
fairness, disappointment, and, more generally, reference points affect workplace
behavior” (Mass, 2006). It is difficult to do your job to the best of your ability when
money and budgeting are tight or being cut. When you are constantly putting your
life on the line for the safety of the public, you want to feel some appreciation for the
effort you give.
Another problem plaguing not only the Indiana State Police, but all law
enforcement agencies in general, are the turnover rates for criminals. Many
Troopers are encountering convicted criminals that have already been through the
justice system and are now back on the street committing the same crimes. Courts
are now giving out minimal sentencing because of overcrowding and government
influence. At some point, society must realize that minimal sentencing is not
deterring offenders from repeating the process of criminal activity.
The past couple years have brought Police treatment and interaction to the
forefront of the media and public opinion. Some many cases of Police brutality have

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caused protests and strong scrutiny by the public. From speaking to ISP Troopers,
the Indiana State Police has overall been seen in a positive light. Many Troopers
commented, saying that the public has a large amount of respect for what they do on
a daily basis. While there is a portion of the population that does not like law
enforcement in general, the over all perception has been a positive one.
Throughout my three years of studying the sociological and criminological
approaches to society, I have learned to look at society in a different type of way.
My internship focused on interacting with people and experiencing situations that I
normally would probably never be in. I was able to use these approaches and
theories to help understand what was going on at the time. Some theories helped
me understand why people were in a certain situation and the justification for their
actions. It was really interesting to see the information I learned in school translate
to real life situations. When your able to see a scenario you read about in class, play
out in real life, the information you learned becomes lifelike and carries more
meaning.
Many Troopers followed a model, “Shit drives shit.” This model was used
help find the right cars to stop. In many situations, either drugs were found in the
car, or other criminal activity was detected. This brought up the question on
whether or not Troopers were using racially biased policing. Police bias can create a
lot of controversy within the media and the public. In an article by Weitzer and
Tuch, a recent national survey on citizen’s views of police bias was analyzed.
Findings suggested that blacks and Hispanics were more likely than whites to
believe that police bias is a problem. Also, “Americans are overwhelmingly opposed

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in principle to racially biased law enforcement. When asked in one poll whether it is
the responsibility of the federal government to ensure that minorities and whites
receive equal treatment from the police and the courts, large majorities of whites,
Hispanics, and African Americans answered affirmatively” (Weitzer & Tuch 2005).
This data raises the question on whether using the appearance of a car is the same
as using the appearance of a person to find crimes. If it produces results, do we still
look at these techniques in a bad light. Bias is a dangerous tool that can help in the
field, but can really hurt public perception. In the end, society needs to find a
balance that does not affect the rights of its citizens.
Covering so much ground in Indiana has opened my eyes to many new
people and activities that much of society may only hear about on the news or other
media sources. One example in particular that stood out to me was the meth
problem in the Midwest, specifically in Indiana. I saw the impact of meth first hand
on individuals and the community during my ride alongs. This powerful image
moved me and really solidified my dream goals of becoming a Drug Enforcement
Agent. This influenced me to join the fight and make others around me aware of the
dangers of meth.
In the end, my internship experience with the Indiana State Police was very
valuable for my future. With law enforcement being something I want to pursue, the
Indiana State Police gave me an inside look at what it is like to be a State Trooper on
a daily basis. To really understand the physical, mental, and emotional weight that
law enforcement personal can experience, you have to be apart of the job and be put
in tough situations. This internship gave me that chance by allowing me to ride with

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the State Troopers and also interact with the public to a certain degree. While I was
not fully exposed, I still was able to pickup snapshots of what it is like on the road.
From these experiences I was able to better understand the physical, mental, and
emotional toll this job could have on a person. My time with the Indiana State Police
reassured what I want to do in the future and also gave me new connections for
opportunities down the road.

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References
Anon. n.d. “Indiana State Police.” ISP: Home. Retrieved February 3, 2016
(http://www.in.gov/isp/).
Houze, Noel. n.d. “HISTORY OF THE INDIANA STATE POLICE.” History of the Indiana
State Police. Retrieved February 3, 2016 (https://www.k9mni.org).
Maloney, Mike and Leonard Moty. 2002. “The Impact Of Community Growth on the
Staffing and Structure of a Midsized Police Department.” PsycEXTRA Dataset
71(1):8–12.
Mas, Alexandre. 2006. “Pay, Reference Points, And Police Performance.” Quarterly
Journal of Economics 121(3):783–821.
Olsen, Marilyn. n.d. “Indiana State Police.” ISP: Home. Retrieved February 3, 2016
(http://www.in.gov/isp/).
Weitzer, Ronald and Steven A. Tuch. 2005. “Racially Biased Policing: Determinants
Of Citizen Perceptions.” Social Forces 83(3):1009–30.