Police Memorial

Deputy Otis Winslette started with the Shipshewana Police Department in February of 2003. Deputy Winslette from a long lineage of law enforcement professionals. He began his career in the 1970’s working in the State of Georgia as County Sheriff’s Deputy. He worked for two separate counties, Baldwin and Putnam, in his tenure as a Georgia County Sheriff’s Deputy. Winslette’s next step was as a Georgia Department of Corrections Officer. He spent 10 years working in the Georgia State Prison System. In that time he earned the rank of Lieutenant. At this time in his career he made a transition to the private sector in manufacturing, which led him to the Topeka, Indiana area. It did not take long before he found him back in the profession he loved. He began working as a Reserve Deputy for the Topeka Police Department and began working full-time as a LaGrange County Jail Officer. In 2003 Deputy Winslette became a Shipshewana Police Reserve Officer, where he worked until his death on November 11th of 2013. Deputy Winslette was certified in numerous law enforcement areas throughout his career. He was a Certified Hostage Negotiator, General Instructor, Firearms Instructor, STOP’s Instructor, Breath-Test Operator. He had attended and passed multiple law enforcement state academies in his career. Deputy Winslette was known for much more than just his law enforcement abilities, he was a husband, father, grandfather and friend to many. His family tradition and legacy goes on in his children, as his son has followed in his footsteps and is currently a decorated police officer himself in South Carolina.