The Westfield Police Dept. has hired two new officers, the first addition to the force since 2009.
“We’re real excited to grow our family. It puts us up to 42 officers,” Police Chief Joel Rush said.
The newest officers are Dewey Abney and Brandon Gehlhausen.
“It gives us a couple more people to offset issues because of service needs,” Rush said, adding that shifts will consist of six to seven officers. “We’re really blessed to have a low crime rate, but there is a huge call for service.”
Abney grew up outside of Crawfordsville where he graduated Southmont High School in 2003. In 2005 he obtained his associates degree in computer electronic engineering technology at ITT Tech. Shortly after graduating, he began a career as an engineer drafter and married his high school sweetheart, Carisaa Buis. They moved to Hamilton County where they currently reside. While here, Abney became a volunteer firefighter and received his first taste of community service. After working five years as an engineering drafter, Abney decided he belonged in public service work. In 2009 he began a career with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in the jail division. After four and a half years of service he decided it was time to move beyond the walls of the jail and out into the community.
Before moving to Westfield, Gehlhausen grew up and lived in Fishers his entire life. He attended Indiana University and graduated in 2012. While at IU, Gehlhausen completed the Indiana University Police Academy in 2011. He served with the IU Police Dept. for two years. Gehlhausen’s father, Tom, is a major for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and his mother, Beth, serves as the director for Meals on Wheels in Hamilton County.
Abney began the police academy in Plainfield on March 31. Rush said Gehlhausen will be in field training the next couple of months and should have a solo car by mid-summer.
