| Accession# |
VE1-2010 |
| Catalog date |
01/07/2010 |
| Collection |
OSHP Collections |
| Date of photo |
varies |
| Description |
Retired Colonel Robert M. Chiaramonte is one of the Patrol's oldest living retirees. He began with the Division in 1942 and moved up in rank, finally serving as superintendent from 1965 to 1975. At age 86, he remembers well his experiences with the Division in its earlier years, and recounted some of them in a 2002 interview - a small part of which is included here:
"(Speaking of the April 29, 1970 Ohio State University Riots opposing U.S. involvement in the Vietnam Conflict) Yeah, that was 11th and Neal. Our people were sand-bagged, in other words they were trapped there. There were piles of rocks there these dissidents had them stashed away, they knew they were going to have a problem. Our people were there to try to keep something from developing further, and they got beat up a little bit. Our guys did and it was at that time that I knew that if this thing occurred again or someplace else, our guy, or our people can't handle that and hang on to their gun at the same time. So I disarmed our plain clothes. That was probably the first time in the United States that anybody has disarmed their own people to go into a situation like that.
"In the first place, we don't want to go around shooting students, provided they were students, and they were, some of them. And some of our people did a magnificent job. (Retired Captain) Jay Devoll was just an outstanding person and always has been. I remember him, he was a student of mine when I was at the Academy. He was first stationed out at Hebron.
"I can remember we had a picture of (Sgt. Norman) Kanagy hanging on to his gun and wrestling two or three people at the same time...there's no point in losing a gun or trying to hang on to one when you know you're not going to use anything but muscle."
On the subject of leadership:
"The President of Harvard (University) once said, 'In order to supervise, you have to be able to inflict pain sometimes.' It doesn't mean you do it often or always, but the threat has to be there sometimes, you see. And when it was necessary, I could do whatever had to be done. And it was distasteful for me to fire somebody, but I had to do it occasionally. It's one of those things that happened. I'm not, I don't think I was ever one to start hollering and yelling about anything, that isn't the way to do it. I don't like big mouths."
On the subject of politics and its perceived effect on the Patrol:
"I had no problem with politicians. Ever. We had some that tried to get their foot in the door, but we didn't, we couldn't abide by it. Law enforcement can be ruined by politics or doing favors for a politician. You do what you have to do as it is by the statute. Now what somebody's whim, or if they want this or want that. You have to say no very often. And I don't say that in a mean or belligerent way. People don't know better - they think you can do certain things, but we're guided by our statutes. If they want us to do something else, they'll have to change the statute."
On the subject of the Patrol becoming the "State Police":
"I have no about being a Highway Patrolman or being in the Highway Patrol. The best organizations around, so-called, can't hold a candle to the Highway Patrol. We have our duties and are good at our duties. If we had more duties, we would probably not be as good.
"And to be able to say 'state police,' well, that's fist-pounding, and that's not important. The aughority has been expanded some over the years and rightfully so for the protection of people and property. That's all right. But probably the best law enforcement is the very local law enforcement. Unless you have the people you're working with and you have the informants and all of the other things, I don't think people on the outside could walk in and do any better. And I hope that we don't change it any more than it is."
|
| Year Range from |
1933 |
| Category |
8: Communication Artifact |
| Year range to |
2010 |
| Object ID |
VE1-2010-012 |
| Object Name |
print, photographic |
|
