In January, 2023, Indiana State Police Indianapolis District Lieutenant Josh Watson formed a specialized squad to focus on criminal interdiction. The purpose of the squad was to work beyond the standard traffic stop, initiating and pursuing drug and gun investigations. Members of the squad were selected based upon their vast drug enforcement experience and training. Five Troopers, one K9 and a supervisor make up the criminal interdiction team in the Indianapolis District.
This squad remains flexible with their schedule, often fluctuating between nights and days, and are often utilized for special assignments within the district. Members of this squad also have been selected to join the Indiana Gun Crimes Task Force. Although the majority of their time is focused in the city of Indianapolis, they also work within all seven counties that make up the ISP Indianapolis District.
Lieutenant Josh Watson stated. “Typically, we find that crime is connected to other crime and criminals are connected to other criminals. Low level drug transactions can lead to larger drug operations and major dealers. This squad of troopers focuses on making those connections, working beyond a traffic stop and outright arrest of an individual. Our troopers work very closely with officers from other agencies including incredible support from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.”
*The statistics below offer an update of the efforts of this squad. Although the troopers in our district contribute immensely to the public safety of our community, the statistics below are for the six person ISP Criminal Interdiction Team in the Indianapolis District.
January 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025:
230 Defendants365 Felonies
148 Misdemeanors
75 Search Warrants
Methamphetamine 93.4 pounds
Ecstasy – 35,965 doses
Cocaine – 15.3 pounds
Synthetic Drugs – 15.3 pounds
Heroin/Fentanyl – 13.3 pounds
Guns Seized – 193
Stolen Cars Recovered – 26
Human Trafficking Victims Found – 4
*Note – Defendants category includes people who have not been charged with a crime, either the investigation is ongoing or other factors have delayed criminal charges.
It is important to note that the ISP Indianapolis District is comprised of 62 Troopers and nine supervisors assigned to road patrol. In 2024, our district responded to over 50,000 calls for service to include over 10,000 vehicle crashes. Troopers in this district also conducted over 90,000 traffic stops and arrested over 3,000 people.
