Keeping peace and order was especially difficult during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Patrolmen often faced rioters without proper protective equipment. Many people protested U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, while others wanted their desires expressed in a more aggressive manner.

One skirmish in particular required a special approach. In a 2002 interview, Col. Robert M. Chiaramonte, who was superintendent of the Patrol at the time, talked about the strategy used and the bravery shown by Patrolmen at a riot in 1968 at the Ohio Penitentiary.

"One thing that stands out is the Pen Riot in '68, when we blew a hole in the Pen roof and two men went down that hole," he said. "Lt. Verlin 'Gene' Archer and Ptl. Stanley Erter were the ones who went down. That took more nerve than anything I can think of - climbing down a rope to confront the hostage takers, to keep them from killing the hostages.

"At the same time, a hole was blown in the wall and two groups of men, one under (Capt.) Stanley Adomatis and the other was under (S/Lt.) Gerald ('Jack') Forbes and they ran up six flights of steps to get into C and D blocks, where they were holding the hostages, and they shot down those corridors to get those convicts back in their cells so they couldn't kill them before they got there. There was lighter fluid and they had that on the floor where they could set it on fire to kill the hostages," Chiaramonte said. "And, to me, that was very brave, and way beyond the call of duty on the part of those men; and they were happy and willing to do it. Other men involved...did an outstanding job. All in all, the whole thing was a success because none of the hostages were killed. And in my mind, that was important."