COLUMBUS - The Ohio State Highway Patrol commissioned 30 new troopers at a ceremony held today at the Patrol’s Training Academy.

The Patrol’s 147th Academy Class graduated today after 29 weeks of rigorous law enforcement training. Governor Ted Strickland provided key-note remarks for the ceremony. Director Henry Guzmán, Ohio Department of Public Safety; Colonel Richard H. Collins, Patrol Superintendent; Judge Peter B. Abele, Fourth Appellate District, Court of Appeals and Reverend Richard D. Ellsworth, Chaplain, Ohio State Highway Patrol, all addressed the graduates and presented their commissions and certificates of training.

Courses completed by the 147th class included firearms, traffic and criminal laws, self-defense, cultural sensitivity and crash investigation training. Cadets also drove on the performance track at the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy (OPOTA) in London.

Tpr. Tiffany L. Coriell of Portsmouth, Ohio, was selected class speaker and thanked the Academy and the families of the Cadets for being so supportive during their training.

Six of the graduates received special honors for top performance in various fields of study at the Patrol Academy. The honorees are:

• Overall performance – Tpr. Jason N. Archer of Woodville, Ohio
• Top performance in firearms – Tpr. Jonathan S. Davis of Newark, Ohio
• Top performance in driving – Tpr. David A. Grooms of Manchester, Ohio, and Tpr. Jacob T. Tidaback of New Washington, Ohio
• Top performance in physical training – Tpr. Jeremy A. Kindler of Ashtabula, Ohio
• Top performance in academics – Tpr. Tiffany L. Coriell of Portsmouth, Ohio

Each of the newly commissioned troopers will report to their posts on Monday, June 18. The troopers’ first 60 working days will be a field-training period under the guidance of a veteran officer. The new troopers are assigned to 20 of the Patrol’s 55 posts.

 

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