Master Trooper Paul Daugherty Recognized for Excellent Marksmanship

PERU, IN -  Lieutenant Matt Bilkey, district commander of the Indiana State Police Peru Post, and Colonel Rick Weigand, assistant superintendent of the Indiana State Police, recently recognized Master Trooper Paul Daugherty of Miami County for excellent shooting while qualifying with his issued state police handgun. Daugherty was issued his Possible Club Award pin during a meeting of the Indiana State Police at the Peru Post. The pin will be attached to a whistle chain and worn near the right shoulder area of the state police uniform. Since it’s inception in 1946, there have been 280 troopers that have earned the Possible Club Award for outstanding marksmanships. 

Daugherty earned the award by shooting four perfect scores, two in phase I and two in phase III of the Indiana State Police firearms program. Phase I requires a shooter to fire fifty rounds of ammunition at a target utilizing various shooting positions and distances ranging from 25 yards to seven yards. All stages of fire have a specific time limit which is strictly enforced. Phase III is also a fifty round course of fire, but the longest shooting distance is increased to fifty yards, and shooters have stages where they are required to shoot with their non-dominate hand. The shooters in both phases must complete the course of fire in the allotted time and receive perfect scores every time they attempt the course.  

Including Daugherty, the Indiana State Police Peru Post has five active troopers who have earned the Possible Club Award. The other four members of the Possible Club are Lieutenant Matt Bilkey of Howard County, Master Trooper Earl McCullough of Cass County, Master Trooper Randy Shaver of Fulton County, and Trooper Jason Page of Howard County.  In addition to the pin they received for their uniforms, all four have their names engraved on a plaque which is displayed in the lobby of the Indiana State Police Headquarters in Indianapolis. 

Troopers qualify with their issued weapons four times a year. Annually, during Phase I of the firearms program, troopers earn shooting pins that are worn on their uniform. The pins display an officer’s shooting skill level from marksman to distinguish expert. Officers are also required to qualify annually with personal backup guns that they intend to use in the performance of their state police duties. The backup weapons must meet certain criteria set by the Indiana State Police training division.

Source: Indiana State Police