As a NIPSCO employee, Gene “AJ” Krout never expected to have to detain an unruly individual, especially within his first week of work. When the individual got out of hand on the job site, however, Krout made the decision to step up and help an officer in need.
On Krout’s second day on the job, a man came out of his house and began to run around and disrupt the team’s work. Krout called the police to diffuse the situation. At first, he stayed in his truck because he didn’t want to get involved. However, as the situation progressed, he realized there was a chance to help.
“The man charged the cop and he got tased. I was watching through the mirror in my truck and I saw him hit the cop in the face. The cop was having trouble getting him down on the ground, so that's when I got out to assist. I helped him get down on the ground, helped him get in, and helped them hold him down until the other deputies showed up,” Krout said.
For Krout, this was nothing special. He felt it was part of his duty as a civilian to help control the man at the job site. The police officer, however, greatly appreciated the gesture.
“I didn't think anything of it afterward. I just felt like we did what we had to do as a police officer and a civilian. I really didn't think anything of it until a couple of weeks ago when the officer showed up and said he wanted to give me an award,” Krout said.
This type of attention was completely unexpected. For many years, Krout wanted to become a police officer. Stepping into action was almost a natural instinct, and while it was frightening, it was also a very rewarding experience.
“It seemed like the right thing to do, but I was nervous. I've always wanted to become a Department of Natural Resources officer or a police officer, so I liked it. It was bad because of the situation, but somebody's got to do it,” Krout said.
Krout credits his interest in public service to the police officer that took him shopping when he was young. His interest in joining the force was sparked by the officer's kindness during a time of need.
“When I was younger, my dad worked a lot, but we never had a lot of money. Every year, the radio station in La Porte does this thing called the Deserving Children’s Roof Sit. The broadcaster sits up on a roof for 24 hours straight and earns money for kids that need help for Christmas. One year my dad lost his job, and we were living with my grandma. They had a police officer come pick my cousin and I up and they took us shopping,” Krout said.
While police work didn’t become a full-time job for Krout, he carries the public service philosophy into every aspect of his life. When he’s not locating lines for NIPSCO, you can find him enjoying the outdoors, ice fishing, or spending time with his wife and three boys.