Indiana Chapter
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Leadership
Matt Rowland
LEDA Indiana Chapter President
Sgt. J. "Matt" Rowland (Retired) served with the Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) for more than 21 years. Including his time as a reserve officer and public safety dispatcher, Matt dedicated more than 26 years to public safety before retiring in July 2026. During his career with FWPD, Matt spent his first 15 years in the Operations Division, including six years as a hostage negotiator. He later served more than five years as a full-time member of the Air Support Unit.
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Matt was an Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) certified instructor in both classroom instruction and emergency vehicle operations. Matt has held an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate since 2017 and has accumulated several hundred flight hours across multiple unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) platforms and software applications. Since 2018, he has specialized in using drones to map motor vehicle crashes and outdoor crime scenes.
In 2021, Matt played a key role in implementing the Fort Wayne Police Department's Drone First Responder (DFR) program. He is certified through the Airborne Public Safety Association (APSA) as both a NIST Basic and Advanced UAS Proctor. In 2025, he received the DroneResponders Eric Talley Public Safety UAS Excellence Award in recognition of his contributions to public safety aviation.
Throughout his time with FWPD, Matt remained active in community outreach, helping plan and coordinate more than 350 public demonstrations and educational events involving the Air Support Unit since 2018. He also serves as Second Vice President of Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Wayne Lodge 14.
Matt is an instructor with Unmanned Tactical Group (UTG) and is a Pix4D Certified Instructor. He graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Communications, with an emphasis in television production. Following his retirement from law enforcement, Matt joined the private sector full-time as a Training Specialist in the public safety drone industry.
Shawn Miller
LEDA Indiana Chapter Vice President
Operations Section Chief Shawn Miller has dedicated the past 10 years to serving in public safety within government, including the last five years as the Hamilton County Emergency Management UAS Coordinator.
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As UAS Coordinator, Shawn serves as the primary liaison for unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations among Hamilton County law enforcement and fire agencies. Throughout his career, he has held numerous leadership and operational roles, including Air Boss, instructor, liaison, crash reconstruction, and FAA-certified Remote Pilot.
​Shawn has supported a wide range of public safety missions, including dignitary protection details, National Weather Service operations, SWAT deployments, law enforcement and fire response, and mutual aid operations for agencies across the State of Indiana.
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Dedicated to advancing the public safety UAS profession, Shawn has attended specialized training programs throughout the United States, bringing back the latest knowledge, techniques, and best practices to enhance local capabilities and mentor fellow public safety professionals.
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Shawn is a certified DroneSense Instructor and a NIST-certified proctor, reflecting his commitment to excellence in training, operational standards, and the continued advancement of public safety UAS programs. His leadership, operational experience, and passion for professional development have helped strengthen regional UAS capabilities and foster collaboration among public safety agencies.
Matthew Tevault
LEDA Indiana Chapter Treasurer
Matthew Tevault began his law enforcement career in 1998 as an Explorer with the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office. While attending the University of Evansville, he was sworn in as a Reserve Deputy with the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office in 2006.
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In 2010, he joined the Chandler Police Department and attended SWILEA in 2011. During his time with Chandler PD, Matt served as a motor patrol Sergeant and K-9 handler, gaining extensive experience in patrol operations and specialized unit deployment. He joined the Evansville Police Department in 2021.
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Matt is certified as a State General Instructor, PepperBall Instructor, Rifle Armorer, and Glock Armorer. He joined EPD’s drone unit in 2023 and holds a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification and NIST Level 1 certification. He is known for his strong technical aptitude and has been instrumental in enhancing the unit’s capabilities through technology-driven solutions.
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He currently serves as a day shift motor patrol officer, bringing a blend of operational experience, instructional expertise, and technical innovation to the department.
Reginald Sanders
LEDA Indiana Chapter Secretary
Reggie Sanders serves as Deputy Commander of Technical Operations with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department in Northwest Indiana. He began his law-enforcement career with the department in 2006 and has served in Patrol, the Lake County Drug Task Force, Criminal Investigations, and Technical Operations.
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In 2020, Sanders established the Lake County Sheriff’s Department UAS program and continues to serve as the agency’s Drone Coordinator. His responsibilities include program administration, policy development, equipment and technology evaluation, pilot training, operational planning, and coordinating UAS deployments in support of law-enforcement and public-safety operations.
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Sanders has focused on developing standardized training and maintaining pilot proficiency within the department while expanding regional UAS training and cooperation. He works with neighboring public-safety agencies to provide joint training opportunities, share operational knowledge, and strengthen regional UAS response capabilities.
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Sanders is an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot and NIST UAS flight skills proctor. He also serves as a negotiator with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department SWAT Team. As Deputy Commander of Technical Operations, he supervises the department’s Digital Forensics Unit and assists with the evaluation and implementation of emerging technologies in support of law-enforcement operations.
Kaeden Gebhart
LEDA Indiana Chapter Board Member
Kaeden Gebhart is a Sergeant with the Westfield Police Department in Indiana and has served in law enforcement for eight years. He is the department's Drone Team Coordinator and Lead UAS Instructor, where he oversees training, policy development, and the operational integration of unmanned aircraft systems into daily public safety operations.
An FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilot, Kaeden has extensive experience in Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations and has helped develop and deploy the Westfield Police Department's DFR program. His experience includes implementing DFR concepts into patrol response, establishing operational procedures, coordinating technology integration, and training personnel to effectively utilize drones as a first-arriving public safety resource.
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He has firsthand experience with routine DFR deployments supporting patrol operations, search and rescue, tactical incidents, crash reconstruction, and critical incident response. Kaeden also played a key role in helping the Westfield Police Department become the third law enforcement agency in the State of Indiana to obtain a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver, expanding the department's ability to safely and effectively conduct advanced UAS operations.
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As a supervisor, instructor, and public safety UAS leader, Kaeden is passionate about mentoring officers, advancing the responsible use of emerging technologies, and sharing practical, experience-driven strategies that improve officer safety, operational efficiency, and service to the community.