From the Desk of Town Marshal
Tom M. Fitch II, Marshal
Shipshewana Police Department
The Shipshewana Police Department has received an extremely high volume of Indiana handgun permit request over the past two years. Along with these recent applications have come several requests for firearms training by our Shipshewana residents. I am happy to announce that the Shipshewana Town Council has recently given approval for the police department to begin conducting civilian firearms courses for residents of the Town of Shipshewana. The first class is tentatively scheduled for April 16th & April 17th of 2021. Residents should be watching in the upcoming weeks for the announcement and application on the Town of Shipshewana website.
This exciting and informative class will cover areas such as safety, handgun selection, ballistics, shooting fundamentals, cleaning and maintenance, mental conditioning, homeowner’s rights of protection, and the latest laws and legal updates regarding the use of force as well as reciprocity in other states honoring your Indiana permit. Our local residents will also be introduced to firearms simulator training and actual range time with their personal handguns. These courses will be taught by our Shipshewana Police Department deputies, who are all certified Indiana Law Enforcement Academy general instructors, along with our firearms instructors overseeing the development and delivery of all instruction. Residents will be required to apply for the class online through the Town of Shipshewana’s website. A maximum of 10 applicants will be accepted with each course, thus allowing for a 1:1 ratio of instructors to residents. This ratio will allow for residents to obtain more personal training in a safe learning environment.
The course will be hosted on a Friday night from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM and following Saturday morning from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM. All classroom instruction will be conducted on Friday night with simulations and range instruction being conducted on the following Saturday morning. At the range residents will be assigned a certified range instructor who will instruct the proper application of techniques and proper firearms fundamentals from the previous night’s lecture.
Requirements:
A CLEAN CRIMINAL HISTORY – NO FELONIES
Indiana Driver’s License
Indiana Firearm’s Permit
Completed application on the Town of Shipshewana’s website http://v82.4d6.myftpupload.com/
Required Equipment:
Handgun
Hearing protection (earmuffs or ear plugs)
Eye protection (safety glasses)
50 rounds of ammunition for the handgun brought to class
Holster system or Purse with holster
Sincerely,
Tom Fitch, Marshal
Shipshewana Police Department
