On September 25, 2026, The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute hosted the 2026-Traffic Safety All-Stars Awards Ceremony at the Gallagher Pavilion at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This event was held for officers across the state who have excelled in removing impaired drivers from Hoosier roadways. Gibson County Deputy Michael Bates was recognized at the presentation and catered lunch for having over 25 DUI arrests in 2025.
Deputy Bates, a Gibson County native, was hired as a Corrections Officer in 2021 and was later hired as a Merit Deputy in 2023. Deputy Bates is a certified Standard Field Sobriety Test Instructor, and a certified Drug Recognition Expert. These certifications have enabled him to remove not only 25 impaired drivers last year, but 20 more this year!
If you combine all the all star award recipients OWI arrests together for last year 4,300 impaired drivers were taken off Indiana roadways!
