Press Release

Trooper Dustin Smith

PERU — A new Indiana State Police trooper who is from Rochester was recently assigned to the Peru District.

Dustin L. Smith, 35, Rochester, is a 2006 graduate of Rochester High School. After high school, he worked as a heavy equipment operator. Smith’s first day to report to the Peru District will be Jan. 2, and he will primarily patrol Cass County.

Smith currently resides in Fulton County.

On Thursday, Dec. 21, 28 new troopers graduated from the 84th ISP Recruit Academy after completing a journey of 24 weeks of intense training. The recruits received over 600 hours of classroom instruction and nearly 400 hours of hands-on practical scenario-based training. Some training areas included criminal and traffic law, crash investigation, emergency vehicle operations, defensive tactics, firearms, de-escalation, impaired driving detection, scenario-based training, and other classes necessary for modern policing.

Smith will soon begin three months of field training alongside several experienced field training officers. After completing this phase, Smith will be issued a police car and start solo patrol on Indiana roads.