Posse

Vigo County Sheriff’s Posse - “ Mounted Patrol”

The Sheriff’s Posse was commissioned by Sheriff Jon Marvel in December of 2004 as a mounted police unit. These Special Deputies assist the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office when needed by providing Search and Rescue and Emergency services. This includes training with our local Emergency Management director, Indiana Homeland Security and classes provided by our Sheriff’s Office.

Training Includes:

  • Setting up a command center
  • Designating search grids
  • Assigning search teams
  • Coordinating with other search teams, such as, EMA, Ham Radios and local K-9 search and rescue
  • First aid and rescue breathing
  •  Identifying and securing a crime scene
  • Identifying and reporting meth labs and marijuana grows
  • Basic self-defense

Under Sheriff’s Greg Ewing and John Plasse, Posse duties have expanded to include, Public Relations and Security duties.

Events include:

  • Vigo County 4H Fair parking lot security.
  • Junior Police Academy ( 3 times per summer)
  • Police Night Out
  • Halloween (Pumpkin Patrol)
  • Tip – A – Cop, fund raiser for Special Olympics Indiana
  • Special Olympics Indiana
  • Parade units

Special requests:

  • Vehicle wrecks involving livestock
  • Loose livestock

The Posse Has assisted with finding, confining and relocating horses and cattle involved with vehicle wrecks. We also help locate, confine and return livestock that has escaped from their owners. One horse was found in a swimming pool in freezing weather. Another was in a mud pit. We also captured and re - homed a Pot Bellied pig named Mabel. One horse was transported 110 miles to the Purdue Large Animal Clinic in Lafayette Indiana.

The Vigo County Sheriff’s Posse has had up to thirty nine (39) volunteers. We currently have fourteen (14) volunteers. If you think you may be interested in volunteering with the Posse please email us at posse@vigosheriff.in.gov.

Interested parties need to:

  1. Be at least 21 years of age
  2. Able to pass a back ground check
  3. Own or have access to a horse, truck, trailer, and tack in good condition
  4. Pass an interview with our board
  5. Able to pass a qualification test through an obstacle course and a trail course