The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department has two new DARE deputies. They are Deputy Nick Martoccia and Deputy Andrew Whipker.
The two join current DARE Deputy Jessica Pendleton.
Martoccia began his career with the sheriff’s department as a merit deputy in 2009. He graduated from Columbus East High School and has an associate’s degree in law enforcement from Vincennes University.
Whipker began his career with the sheriff’s department as a merit deputy in 2015. He previously served as a probation officer with the Greenwood Probation Department. He graduated from Columbus East High School and has a criminal justice degree from IUPUC.
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Pendleton began her career with the sheriff’s department as a reserve deputy before becoming a merit deputy in 2009. In 2011, she was BCSO’s K-9 Officer and, in 2015, she became the department’s DARE Officer.
Martoccia and Whipker recently returned from DARE training where they learned a variety of teaching styles.
In addition to their DARE duties, Pendleton, Martoccia and Whipker will continue to perform a variety of law enforcement duties including responding to calls for service.
“I believe it is extremely important to get more deputies into our Bartholomew County schools,” said Sheriff Matt Myers.
