COLUMBUS – Tomorrow marks the 70th year of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio’s only statewide law enforcement agency. On Nov. 15, 1933, 60 patrolmen took the oath of office and began their trip to the assigned stations throughout Ohio. The Patrol’s first fleet consisted of 54 motorcycles and six Plymouth coaches.

The first duty of the new patrolmen was to travel around their counties, become familiar with the geography, and establish positive contacts among the people they would serve and local law enforcement agencies.

The Patrol’s first superintendent, Colonel Lynn Black, said the Highway Patrol was created for the citizen’s benefit.

“In the last 70 years, technology, traffic volume, and roadway design have changed the way troopers carry out their duties,” Colonel Paul McClellan said. “However, our core mission remains the same: to provide professional statewide traffic services and to save lives.”

In contrast to today’s high-tech Multi Agency Radio Communication System (MARCS), patrolmen in 1933 communicated through the use of a flag-marking system. When headquarters had a message or call for an officer, they notified the contact point and a red flag was hung outside the building so the officer would see it and call headquarters for the assignment.

Historical photographs are available on the Patrol’s Web site: www.state.oh.us/ohiostatepatrol/photos.html. For more information on the Patrol’s history, visit www.state.oh.us/ohiostatepatrol/history.htm.

# # #

03-255