Through COVID restrictions, OSHP did not hold as many classes as they needed to keep up with retirement and attrition.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — With an eye on the highways looking for impaired or distracted drivers, more troopers are needed to keep the roadways safe.
Fatal accidents have decreased compared to the same period last year. However, the Ohio State Highway Patrol emphasizes the necessity for an additional 200 troopers to be deployed on the roads to help reduce fatal accidents.
“This is my dream job since I was a little kid,” said Trooper Patrick White from the Lancaster Post.
White has been in his position for 13 years.
He enjoys inspecting school buses and working with the schools and students.
According to White, a representative of the patrol, being a trooper is not just a job but a fulfilling way of life. He expressed pride in the quality equipment, excellent supervisors, and top-notch posts that the troopers have at their disposal.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol needs more troopers like White.
There are currently 1,365 troopers. They would like to have 1,550.
Lieutenant Nathan Dennis of the OSHP mentioned that there has been a persistent shortage of troopers available for patrolling Ohio’s roads in recent years.
Through COVID restrictions, OSHP did not hold as many classes as they needed to keep up with retirement and attrition.
Now, they are trying to hire nearly 200.
“What we see year after year is an increase in crashes on our roadways. We see an increase in impaired driving. Troopers are out there as a frontline trying to protect other motorists on the roadway to prevent that fatal crash from occurring,” Dennis said.
White said he knows he’s making a difference and keeping the roads a bit safer.
“Every day is different. You’re not just hitting copy on the copy machine, you aren’t entering data onto a computer. The world is your playground. It is absolutely fun. I learn something new every day, it’s challenging,” White said.
OSHP is hiring for troopers statewide.
