Highway patrol recruiter: Career options surprisingly diverse

Sheri Trusty
·3 min read
Trooper Joshua Smith said the Ohio Highway Patrol is always looking for good people who want to give back to the community through service as an OHP employee.
Trooper Joshua Smith said the Ohio Highway Patrol is always looking for good people who want to give back to the community through service as an OHP employee.

FREMONT — When locals are considering a career in law enforcement, they often overlook an option with multiple opportunities across the state: A career with the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Although the highway patrol is most often associated with traffic patrol, the department offers a variety of careers, from dispatch to investigation.

“One of the main reasons I chose to work in law enforcement with the state is the opportunities it allows for me. I appreciate the flexibility,” said Trooper Joshua Smith, who works for the OHP Office of Recruitment. “In the world of law enforcement, there are vast varieties of types of work.”

The duties of a trooper are extensive. In addition to enforcing traffic and criminal laws on public roadways and state properties, troopers also perform vehicle inspections, conduct crash investigations and provide security for state institutions.

After two years of field experience, troopers have the option of transferring into other OHP careers such as aircraft pilot, academy instructor, canine handler, polygraph examiner or special response team member.

Dispatchers earn $21.88 to start

“There are wide opportunities at the core, and a lot of opportunities that branch off of the core,” Smith said.

For people who don’t want to work out in the field but still want to work in law enforcement, dispatch may be a good option. Dispatchers earn a starting pay of $21.88 and are required to be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license and a high school diploma.

“It’s a great opportunity people overlook,” Smith said. “We’re looking for people with strong communication skills who are able to multitask. They need to be able to communicate with individuals in critical situations as well as officers heading to crash scenes while keeping their composure.”

College students who have completed one full semester of college are eligible to apply for the paid Cadet Internship Program. The program prepares college students who plan to seek a career with OHP after graduation. Interns work 10 to 20 hours each week at a local OHP post and earn $14.72 per hour.

Anyone considering a career with OHP can apply for the Recruitment Ride-Along program which allows them to ride with a trooper on duty to gain a firsthand look at the career. Participants must be 18 to 34 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and have a brief interview with the post commander to show they have a genuine interest in becoming a trooper.

Although the Ohio Highway Patrol is often associated with road patrol, Trooper Joshua Smith said OHP offers a vast variety of career opportunities, including investigators and aircraft pilots. He said people interested in OHP careers are welcome to stop by their local post to inquire about career information and ride-alongs with state troopers. Here, he stands with his patrol car at the Fremont Patrol Post on the US 20 bypass.

Lt. Angel Bugos is Post Commander of the OHP Fremont Post which oversees Sandusky County, and Lt. Shaun Robinson is Post Commander of the OHP Sandusky Post, which oversees Ottawa and Erie counties.

“We encourage people to come to a local patrol post and meet with a post commander about a career with us or a ride-along,” Smith said. “I don’t think people realize they have a local post patrol or the dynamics behind it.”

To be an OHP trooper, a person must be 20 to 34 years old and have a valid driver’s license and high school diploma.

'We provide all the training'

“No previous experience or college degree is needed because we provide all the training,” Smith said. “There are a wide group of people who are eligible.”

Trooper training takes place in a paramilitary environment at the live-in OHP training academy in Columbus. Training lasts six months, and trainees go home on weekends. Participants are paid during training, and there is a 100% job placement rate.

“We’re always looking for good, quality people who want to give back to the community and make a difference,” Smith said. “It’s so easy to find meaning in this position.”

For more information on careers with the OHP, contact Trooper Joshua Smith at 614-203-5183 or jpsmith2@dps.ohio.gov or visit statepatrol.ohio.gov.

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Ohio State Highway Patrol offers a field of law enforcement experiences