Article originally appeared in the June 2023 Legacy Ledger (Issue 34).
Some stories stick with you because of the steady commitment behind them.
Frank Loop’s path from New Albany High School to Chief in Floyd County is one of those stories. From his early days as a student trainer to building programs like the county’s first SWAT team and school resource officer presence, his career reflects years of dedication to this community.
-Rex Bickers (FCHS ‘70)
Frank Loop
(NAHS, 1977)
Frank Loop’s Bulldog days began in the middle of his junior year, when his family moved to Indiana. He was soon aware that New Albany had recently brought on several “newcomers”. They had all started about the same time, in 1972 or 1973. They were all very involved in coaching as well. They generated a lot of buzz, especially when compared to the “old guard” eras of Alex Thom and Forrest “Mac” McCaffry (43 years total as head football coach). Mac also stayed fifteen more years as AD from 1974 to 1989.
Hall of Famer Gary Austin had a large coaching staff which included both Ron Weigleb (later FC head football coach 1980-2003) and biology teacher D.J. Hines (Hall of Fame inductee also). Although Frank didn’t play football, he got to know both Weigleb and Hines, through the student trainer program of health and PE teacher, Don Ogle. Don was the first certified athletic trainer hired as staff at NAHS. It’s these three men that Frank remembers best.
Frank considered the college coursework to become a trainer, but he was paying entirely for his own education after high school, and he needed to work. He joined an EMS squad and soon befriended quite a few patrol officers who were happy to have him ride along. By age 22, after volunteering with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department, he was offered a job and sent to the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
In his first fifteen years (1981-1996), he went straight up… not like a rocket, but a steady stream of achievements and innovation, one year after another after another… with highlights like this: sergeant in 1988, lieutenant in 1991 and a charter member of the Southern Indiana Drug Task Force. He started the first SWAT team in 1993. He went on to command it and started bicycle block watch patrols along with a special unit for water rescue and off-road emergencies. He secured funding that first put police officers at schools in Floyd County.
1996 was an inflection point for Frank. He seemed to clone himself and simultaneously take on two fairly different pursuits. He devoted time to important roles in Floyd County local government (Georgetown, and then Greenville). At the same time, his career advances and personal development kept rising. He was named Chief by Sheriffs Watson and Hubbard, and two years later completed the requirements to graduate from the FBI National Academy. His FBI experience motivated him to return to college coursework and earn a bachelor’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University.
His most recent chapter begins with his election as Floyd County Sheriff in 2014 and his retirement eight years (two terms) later. Frank and his wife, Mary Jo, have two married children: Chris FCHS ’05 and Shelby Loop Leonard FCHS ’10. Chris and Shelby have added four grandchildren to the family. The couple now live in the Navilleton area. Frank is still figuring out how to be retired.
Read the entire June 2023 Legacy Ledger (Issue 34).