The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office has announced that it is now seeking applications for the Neil Thompson Memorial Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship is available to any senior scheduled to graduate this year from a high school in La Porte County who has been accepted to a college or university and will be studying law enforcement, criminal justice or a criminal justice related field. Applicants are required to submit an essay, no fewer than 500 words, on why they will be pursuing a career in law enforcement.
The scholarship was established soon after the 1980 death of Patrolman Neil Thompson, the only Deputy from the La Porte County Sheriff ‘s Office to be killed in the line of duty. He was killed on September 21, 1980 when a suspect fleeing from other officers in a stolen ambulance intentionally rammed his patrol vehicle. The driver was convicted of manslaughter. Deputy Thompson had served with the Sheriff’s Office for three years and was a United States Army veteran of the Vietnam War. In 2002, State Road 39 from US Highway 6 to US Highway 30, was dedicated as the Neil G. Thompson Memorial Highway. In 2015, the Sheriff’s Office opened the scholarship to include students from all La Porte County’s high schools.
Scholarship applications may be picked up at the front desk of the Sheriff’s Office on the main floor of the La Porte County Complex or from any of the Sheriff ‘s Office School Resource Officers.
The deadline for applications/essays is Friday, May 3 at 3 pm. The recipient will be selected by a panel that includes the School Resource Officers. The scholarship will be awarded at the Department’s annual Peace Officers Memorial in May.
Questions can be directed to Captain Allen at dallen@lcso.in.gov or (219) 326-7700 ext. 2283.