Indiana State Police Superintendent Anthony Scott announced the promotion of Trooper Teresa Vaal to sergeant, designating her as a Squad Leader at the Jasper District, the ISP unit that serves Dubois County and surrounding communities. A Southridge High School alumna and seven‑year veteran of the Indiana State Police, Vaal brings a mix of field experience and instructional responsibilities to her new leadership post.

Vaal’s record within the department includes service as a Field Training Officer, membership on the Hostage Crisis Negotiation team, and duties as an instructor in both Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) programs. She was recognized within the Jasper District as the 2020 Trooper of the District. Those qualifications signal that her responsibilities as squad leader will encompass not only operational oversight but also mentoring and training of newer troopers.

For Dubois County residents, the promotion carries several practical implications. As squad leader, Vaal will be positioned to influence day‑to‑day patrol priorities, coordinate responses to critical incidents, and oversee the professional development of troopers assigned to the Jasper District. Her background in hostage negotiation and DRE instruction suggests increased emphasis on de‑escalation tactics and evidence‑based approaches to impaired driving enforcement. Local officials and citizens who have followed public safety issues may interpret the appointment as a reinforcement of specialized skills within the district’s leadership ranks.

Community policing and trust building are likely areas to be affected by the leadership change. Vaal’s local roots—as a Southridge graduate—may strengthen ties between the ISP and Dubois County communities, particularly in outreach and recruitment efforts. Her role as a Field Training Officer indicates ongoing involvement in shaping how new troopers learn to interact with residents and handle complex scenarios in the field.

The promotion also underscores broader departmental priorities in training and crisis readiness. Assigning an officer with instructional credentials and negotiation team experience to a squad leadership role aligns with efforts to enhance frontline capabilities amid changing public safety challenges. For residents, that could translate into more robust local responses to traffic safety issues, substance‑impaired driving incidents, and high‑risk crisis situations.

As Sergeant Vaal assumes her new duties at the Jasper District, local leaders and residents will be watching how her combination of local ties and specialized experience influences policing strategies, community engagement, and the professional development of the district’s troopers.