New North Vernon Police K9 paying dividends

The North Vernon Police Department is singing the praises of Officer Shane Trepanier and K9 Zobi after a busy first week of patrol after recently graduating K9 school.

Sgt. Andrew Richmond, department spokesman, says that on Saturday, June 9th, Officer Mike Holliday responded to suspicious person call in the parking lot of a business on Norris Avenue. During the investigation, Officer Holliday allegedly found that 27-year-old C. Evan Lessley, of Commiskey, was in possession of heroin. Officer Holliday called for Officer Trepanier and Zobi to sniff the car that Lessley was standing near. Richmond says that Zobi was alerted to the odor of an illegal drug inside the car. A subsequent search allegedly uncovered a small amount of heroin in a bag belonging to 25-year-old Nicole Stephens, of North Vernon, along with approximately a dozen syringes. Both Lessley and Stephens were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Syringe.

On Tuesday, June 12th, Sgt. Craig Kipper was observing traffic on Brownstown Road and initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Matthew R. Daniels, of North Vernon. Police say the driver had a learners permit and the passenger had no license. Sgt. Kipper became suspicious of drug activity. He requested Officer Trepanier and K9 Zobi to his traffic stop to sniff the car. Richmond says that Zobi alerted to the odor of illegal drugs within the vehicle. A subsequent search allegedly uncovered several empty baggies with residue and a methamphetamine smoking pipe. Daniels was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia.

The third incident occurred on Wednesday, June 13th when Officer Wes Thayer was investigating a property damage traffic crash at North State Street and Bay Street. During his investigation, Officer Thayer suspected drug activity in one of the vehicles. He contacted Officer Trepanier to meet him and use K9 Zobi to sniff the car. Zobi was alerted to the presence of drugs, leading to the vehicle being searched. Police reported finding prescription pills not in a prescribed container, leading to the arrests of 28-year-old Alex C. Simmons and 32-year-old Tara L. Simmons, both of North Vernon. Simmons was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. Simmons was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Methamphetamine. Police say that when Simmons was being booked in the Jennings County Jail, officers found her to be in possession of a corner cut bag of methamphetamine hidden in her under garments.