You probably expect local or state police to handle arrests and searches in Indiana. You may be less familiar with National Guard members doing that work. House Bill 1343 now lets certain Guard military police use police powers during some state deployments.
The 2026 law does not give those powers to every Guard member. It applies to trained military police members when the governor authorizes them to act during state active duty. If you meet them in that role, they may have much of the same enforcement authority as other police officers.
When Guard military police may act
The adjutant general may create a military police force within the Indiana National Guard. The governor then decides when and where that force can use police powers.
During an approved deployment, Guard military police may enforce Indiana law. They can make arrests and carry out lawful searches or seizures. You might therefore see them perform duties that local or state police usually handle.
Your rights still apply
Their uniform does not reduce the rights you have during a police encounter. The Fourth Amendment protects you from unreasonable searches and seizures. The Fifth Amendment also protects you from having to incriminate yourself.
If Guard military police take you into custody and question you, Miranda rules apply just as they do with other law enforcement officers. You have the right to remain silent and ask for counsel. Miranda protections apply to custodial questioning, rather than every contact with police.
What an encounter may mean for you
The new law changes who may perform police duties during some state deployments, but your basic rights remain in place. You may want to avoid physical resistance and keep notes about the encounter if you later believe officers acted outside their authority. Understanding your rights during police contact could help you make sense of what happened afterward.