US President signs federal bill naming Elwood post office for fallen police officer

A post office in Elwood has a new name, after the President of the United States signed a bill into law this weekend.  As IPR’s Thomas Ouellette reports, the building is to be named after a police officer killed in the line of duty.

The newly signed bill will rename the federal post office at 119 North Street in Elwood as the “Officer Jacob Shahnavaz Post Office Building.”

A US army veteran, Shahnavaz had been with the Elwood police department for 11 months before being killed during a routine traffic stop in 2022. He was 24 years old.

Fifth District Congresswoman Victoria Spartz says she submitted the bill because she believes that we should recognize the sacrifice of our servicemen and carry on their legacy.

“Our generations and other generations will be judged how we really keep the memory of people who do things for us and how we really commemorate heroic people.”

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The passing of the bill saw some debate in the House of Representatives, but was unanimously approved by the Senate in December, before being presented to the President.

Last year, Spartz spoke about Shahnavaz on the House floor, with her speech included in the Congressional record.  In the state legislature, Indiana named a mile of State Road 13 running through Madison County for Shahnavaz.

Carl Boards II has been charged with murdering Shahnavaz. His trial is scheduled for September.

Thomas Ouellette is our reporter and producer.  Contact him at [email protected]