Annual ISP memorial service honors fallen state troopers

Thursday, May 3, 2012
The ceremony concluded with Lucas Cody, son of Sgt. Jim Cody, who is assigned to the Putnamville Post, playing "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes.

PUTNAMVILLE -- The Indiana State Police Post at Putnamville conducted its annual memorial service Wednesday morning, honoring those members of the department who have given their lives in the line of duty.

Troopers were brought to attention and prepared for roll call by Putnamville District Assistant Commander 1st Sgt. Matt Mischler.

Members of the Putnamville District Honor Guard then displayed the American and Indiana state flags as Capt. Mike Eslinger, Area V commander, and Lt. Dan Jones, commander of the Putnamville District, read each fallen member's name, along with a description of the circumstances surrounding their death.

After the reading of those names, two members of the Greencastle High School Band -- senior A.J. Gerard and sophomore Lucas Eckrich -- played "Taps."

The ceremony concluded with bagpipes instrumentalist Lucas Cody playing "Amazing Grace" and the closing benediction given by Indiana State Police Chaplain Fr. Daniel Coffey.

Lucas Cody is the son of ISP Crime Scene Investigator Sgt. Jim Cody, who is assigned to the Putnamville Post.

Members of the Putnamville Honor Guard are Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Cindy Gray and Troopers Shilo Raulston, David Petrowski, Tyler Van Ness and Kevin Getz.

Other attendees Wednesday included ISP General Headquarters personnel, former Terre Haute District and Putnamville District retirees and their families, Indiana Department of Corrections staff, local dignitaries, some of whom were Putnam County Prosecutor Timothy Bookwalter, Clay County Prosecutor Lee Reberger, and retired state trooper and former state representative Vern Tincher.

A total of 46 members of the Indiana State Police, both men and women, have died in the line duty since the department's inception in 1933.

Putnamville District Honor Guard members display the flags as Capt. Mike Eslinger, Area V commander, and Lt. Dan Jones, commander of the Putnamville District, read the names of each fallen trooper Wednesday during the annual memorial service at the police post.

Since the early days of the Indiana State Police, memorial services have been held each May at all ISP districts to perpetuate the memory of those who have died in the line of duty.

"The ceremony serves as a means of paying tribute to those who died in the line of duty, that their sacrifice was not made in vain, and as a reminder to those of us left behind that we should strive to maintain the level of professional service to the public our departed comrades so unselfishly gave their lives for," Sgt. Joe Watts, Putnamville District public information officer, said.

For a complete list of Indiana troopers killed in the line of duty and a summary of their deaths, visit the Indiana State Police website at www.in.gov/isp and click on the "In Memoriam" link on the left side of the page.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: