Putnam County native promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel with ISP

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 8:07 AM

By Johnny McCrory

Indiana State Police Superintendent Anthony Scott announced the promotion of Captain Robert W. Priest to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel to serve as the Deputy Superintendent of the Enforcement Bureau.

Priest is a native of Putnam County, and a 1991 graduate from South Putnam High School. After high school, Priest attended Indiana State University in Terre Haute.

In December of 1994, Priest graduated from the 51^st Indiana State Police Recruit Academy and was appointed as a Trooper assigned to the Lafayette District. After a year-and-a-half, Priest transferred to the Putnamville Post where he worked Putnam and Hendricks Counties until he transferred to the Jasper Post in 1998.

Over the next 10 years, Priest earned promotions to detective and then to the District Investigative Squad Leader at the Jasper Post. In June of 2008 Priest was promoted to the rank of First Sergeant where he served as the District Investigative Commander at the Jasper Post.

In December of 2012, Priest was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and served as the Area III Investigative Commander. In 2014, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and served as the Area III Commander.

He also attended and graduated from the 286th Session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy in 2023.

Lieutenant Colonel Priest will oversee the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Special Operations, Field Operations and the Capitol Police Section. He and his family are residents of Spencer County.