The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office and the Princeton Police Department, along with the Indiana Department of Child Services, are encouraging community members to step up and report suspected domestic violence. The county is among those Indiana areas battling a high number of domestic violence incidents and the resulting impact they are having on Hoosier children and their families.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, local law enforcement agencies in the county responded to an average of 554 domestic disturbance calls in each of the last three years. Already 113 calls have been received in 2013. Sheriff George Ballard says when officers respond to domestic violence calls, most of the time they find children present.

“An officer never gets used to seeing the scared looks on the faces of kids when that officer responds to a domestic violence call in a home,” said Sheriff Ballard. “And when there’s been physical violence between the parents, the fearful child’s eyes always seem to be asking ‘what’s going to happen to my mom?’ or ‘what’s going to happen to my dad?’ or ‘am I going to be next?’”

An Indianapolis man was jailed after the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office says a traffic stop led to the discovery of drugs and guns.

On Wednesday, a deputy stopped a vehicle for speeding on US 41 near Fort Branch.

After detecting the odor of marijuana, the vehicle was searched and two loaded handguns were discovered, one of which authorities say had been stolen in Ohio. Deputies also found crystal meth, marijuana, morphine and a syringe in the vehicle.

A Princeton woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison and five years of probation for her role in attempting to have her husband’s ex-wife killed.

Pamela Gardner, 43, was sentenced Tuesday by Gibson County Circuit Court Judge Jeff Meade.  She pled guilty to felony charges of conspiracy to commit murder.