Gov. Mitch Daniels appoints new toxicology director

Gov. Mitch Daniels appointed Maj. Justus (Ed) Littlejohn Jr. as the state’s new Department of Toxicology director last week.

Littlejohn previously worked as the Indiana State Police laboratory division commander, and he served in the Indiana State Police for 38 years, 34 of those spent in laboratory or forensic roles. He has also been a patrol officer and a polygraph examiner.

The Department of Toxicology is responsible for all alcohol- and drug-related screenings, as well as test certifications for officers. The department also has a forensic toxicology lab, which tests samples of blood or urine — usually from investigations involving impaired driving — to see if drugs or alcohol were involved.

In 2011, the General Assembly passed legislation requiring the Department of Toxicology, which had been operated by the IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis, to become a standalone institution.

Littlejohn will be the first director to manage the department in this capacity.

Littlejohn obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Purdue University’s Fort Wayne campus.

He will begin at his new position today.

— Hannah Smith