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Pendleton - Three new troopers reported for duty at the Indiana State Police Post in Pendleton today. They are three of the 46 new troopers reporting to their districts of assignment following graduation from the 75^th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy on Thursday, November 19th.

In late June of this year the class began 21 weeks of intense training at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield. During the training period the recruits received over 500 hours of classroom instruction as well as nearly 300 hours of hands-on practical and scenario based training exercises.

Blake Stephenson, age 25, graduated from Pendleton Heights High School in 2009, then Butler University in 2013 with a degree in Marketing. He will be assigned to work Henry and Rush Counties.

Justin Beamon, age 22, graduated from Fisher’s High School in 2012 and attended classes at Indiana State University.  He will be assigned to work in Henry and Rush Counties.

Jacob Ridgway, age 22, was home schooled and graduated in 2013.  He was employed by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department earlier this year before starting his career with the Indiana State Police. He also will be assigned to work in Henry and Rush Counties.

The three new troopers will continue their training for the next three months as part of the ISP Field Training Program. The Field Training Program pairs new troopers with veteran troopers, or Field Training Officers, (FTO’s,) to allow the new troopers to take what they learned in the recruit academy and apply it in the field under the close supervision of the FTO. Upon successful completion of their field training, they will be issued their own commissions and be assigned solo patrol responsibilities.

Pictured in the photo, from left to right, are Blake Stephenson, Justin Beamon and Jacob Ridgway.