Seven troopers from the Versailles District, including a Seymour High School graduate and one who formerly worked at the Seymour Post, were honored at the annual Indiana State Police Awards Ceremony.
Following a review of older incidents, Sgt. Don Gregory of the Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division was awarded a Combat Action Award for an incident that occurred in October 2002 when he was a trooper at the Seymour Post.
During the incident, Gregory responded to a rural Jackson County road in the early morning hours of Oct. 18, 2002, to assist a Jackson County Sheriff’s Department officer in looking for suspects, possibly wanted on warrants, who abandoned a vehicle in the area.
Gregory soon located one of the suspects walking along the road nearby.
Upon questioning the man about him possibly possessing a gun, the man reached for a gun and made threatening statements to Gregory. He then shot the suspect, who then fled into a wooded area. The man was soon found deceased nearby while still in possession of the handgun.
Lt. Paul Adams, who graduated from SHS in 1988 and is commander of the Versailles Post, is another award winner.
He and master troopers Rick Stockdale, Mark True and Brent Lykins with the Indiana State Police South Zone SWAT Team from the Versailles Post were awarded Combat Action Awards for their actions in providing aid to Master Trooper Joseph Livers and removing him from the scene of an incident in November 2019 in rural Jefferson County to receive immediate medical attention.
The awards were given to the troopers for their actions of putting themselves at risk to rescue a fellow trooper.
The incident began Nov. 23, 2019, when police were called to a home on State Road 56 in eastern Jefferson County, where a man was barricaded in a residence with a gun.
During the incident, the suspect shot and wounded Livers, who also is on the South Zone SWAT Team. Livers was awarded a Purple Heart and a Combat Action Award as a result of the incident.
Also receiving an award was Senior Trooper Randel Miller, who was named Trooper of the District for the Versailles Post.
In 2020, Miller excelled in criminal interdiction on roadways in the district. He and his K-9, Jinx, initiated numerous criminal investigations that led to the removal of illegal drugs and guns from roadways. The cases also led to the arrest and prosecution of those who chose to be involved in criminal activities.
“Trooper Miller’s work ethic and dedication to the overall mission of the Indiana State Police has undoubtedly made our communities safer by pursuing those who are conducting criminal activities in our area,” Adams said.