The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has appointed - effective immediately - a new chief probation officer, who also is the first African-American to serve in that capacity in the district.

Dwight T. Wharton of Indianapolis has worked in federal probation since 1991. He had been acting chief probation officer for the Southern District since April 2008. His appointment was made by U.S. District judges of the Southern District of Indiana.

The U.S. Probation Office for the Southern District of Indiana has a staff of 44 working in eight offices. The district currently supervises more than 600 convicted federal defendants who are on probation or supervised release after a prison term, and approximately 100 who are awaiting trial in federal criminal prosecutions.