With the war out of the way, the first order of business was to finally establish a "permanent" training facility. From among several possible sites, the Hartman Farms, located on U. S. 23 south of Columbus, was selected to be the new Academy. The Hartman Farms School was a large farm house which served as a dormitory, mess hall, classrooms, and offices. Located on several acres of land, the new Academy offered sufficient space for all aspects of training and provided a sense of permanence which would allow instructors to "settle in" and develop a training routine which could remain fairly consistent from class to class.

The first Hartman Farms class, the "Fighting 19th" convened in December 1945 with 34 candidates.

Being the first post-war class with all but one member being war veterans, the 19th Class became one of the more memorable. First, in a training program still heavily dependent upon military drill and "treat 'em rough" methods of discipline, class members, many of whom were recently fighting in the front lines of the war, in many ways took over the work. Instructors eventually abandoned almost all of the drill as it became evident that the recruits knew more about it than the officers. And physical conditioning became almost a joke -- not because the men avoided it but because they were in better shape than the instructors. In the end, 27 graduated -- as a part of the first class to ever gain weight during training.

The 19th Class precipitated a marked decrease in military drill in future classes. It is worthy of note that the 20th Academy Class, which convened two weeks after the 19th graduated, and subsequent classes, were in for a very rough time as the training officers regained their composure and cracked down.

It was hoped that by running schools at a rate of about three per year the authorized limit of 400 officers would quickly be reached. Unfortunately, in 1946 alone there were 42 resignations from the already limited ranks. Probably the greatest single factor in this attrition rate was low pay. In an address to officers at an in-service school, Colonel Mingle admitted that low pay was a concern of top ranking officers as well as patrolmen in the field, and promised to personally seek a substantial increase from the legislature. He previously fought to have the Patrol treated differently than other state employees (in terms of pay raises), and though his request was refused in the legislature, he intended to renew the effort. If that proved unsuccessful, he would ask for a "separate maintenance" like the Indiana State Police received.

It is interesting to note that Colonel Mingle also said that the other big issue (aside from the pay increase) was to build a new general headquarters building. An architect had been hired and appropriations secured, but unfortunately it was to become the first of many unsuccessful attempts to obtain a Patrol-owned headquarters. However, a program of post construction was right around the corner (reversing a plan to house posts in new highway garages being built across the state) and in 1948 the first Patrol-owned post, Medina, was completed and operational. Athens was completed shortly after, and the trend toward post ownership had begun.

To compound the difficulty Colonel Mingle faced in rebuilding his force, traffic deaths began to skyrocket as wartime rationing and travel restrictions were lifted. While the actual fatality rate remained relatively stable, the shear numbers of highway deaths were of great concern. Driver safety became a hot topic in editorials appearing around the state, as well as calls for a larger and better-paid highway patrol. While the attention to highway safety was much needed and probably saved many lives, the increased attention to how "severely underpaid" patrolmen were did not help the recruitment process. It did, however, help push the General Assembly to grant a small pay raise to officers classified as "patrolmen." It was not the raise Colonel Mingle sought, but it did offer slightly better pay to recruits.

On the heels of the pay raise came the next expansion of powers. House Bill 177, approved June 24, 1947, modified sections of the original founding law and dropped a six-year ban on enforcement activities on "roads and highways" within municipal limits. Patrolmen making an arrest in a municipality were simply required to bring charges in the local municipal court. In addition, it empowered patrolmen to enforce criminal laws on all state-owned and leased properties.

Another increase in duties was handed down in Senate Bill 221, also approved in 1947. It created several new aviation offenses and gave the Patrol (and other agencies) jurisdiction over those offenses. The Patrol was also given jurisdiction to "investigate all aircraft accidents within the state of Ohio, anything in the General Code of Ohio limiting the jurisdiction of the state highway patrol to the contrary notwithstanding." The first arrest for "drunken flying" was made on April 28, 1948, by Ptl. C. E. "Red" Wallace. Called to Greenfield Municipal Airport by a manager who tried to stop the inebriated pilot from flying, Ptl. Wallace compiled his reports and had them signed, then arrested the man when he landed. The aircraft laws came at a time when obtaining a Patrol aircraft was the topic of serious consideration. Aircraft use had been considered in the 1930s, but it wasn't until after the war that thoughts of a Patrol plane for regular assignments were again entertained.

On May 4, 1948, the Patrol placed into service its first aircraft -- a sleek Beechcraft Bonanza. It was originally to be used not for enforcement purposes, but for disaster relief, air searches, transportation, photography, and "errands of mercy." Sgt. E. P. Webb, a graduate of the Camp Perry Class and an old "barnstormer," flew the first Patrol mission on June 8, 1948. During the flight Webb broadcast a radio signal which reached all posts and most cars. While airborne, he also spotted a disabled vehicle and directed officers to the scene, recording the first aircraft assist. That first mission, as well as Webb's ardent support of an aircraft program, earned him the title "father of Patrol aviation."

Two years later, the original Bonanza was traded in and the division obtained a Cessna 170 and a newer Bonanza.

Though the reconversion to peacetime conditions had allowed Patrol operations to return to normal, the nation's attention to defense and preparedness brought the Patrol back into civil defense work. In February 1948, the division unveiled its new system for handling major disasters, utilizing methods proven successful in a major explosion and fire in Texas City, Texas the previous year. The plan involved the entire uniformed division (at this date numbering 326) and over 1,800 Auxiliaries prepared to implement perimeter controls and traffic routing. The use of aircraft was to be an important element (though the division had not yet received approval to purchase one), as was the addition of five new mobile radio trailers, each pulled by a jeep, which were purchased several months later.

The preparedness plan proved valuable in capturing two desperadoes who, in July 1948, went on a murder spree. Robert M. Daniels and John C. West, two ex-convicts who were regarded as dangerous and unstable even by fellow inmates, brutally murdered John E. Niebel, farm manager at the Mansfield Reformatory, and his wife and daughter. Both were already being sought on other charges. When the bodies of the victims were discovered Daniels and West were considered the prime suspects.

The two fled to Cleveland, then the following day decided to "hide out" in Indiana. They headed west two days after the Niebel murders, stopping in Tiffin to sleep, then deciding to steal another vehicle -- they had been driving the same stolen vehicle since before the murders! This precipitated two more cold-blooded murders, one a motorist and another a truck driver, before officials realized that West and Daniels were in the vicinity and effected the Patrol blockade plan.

All posts in District A were contacted (by telephone) and told to put blockade plans M16 (Maumee River) and M15 (Sandusky River) into effect. All local police agencies were also contacted and swung into full alert.

Sheriff Roy Shaffer of Van Wert County, Van Wert City Police Department Sergeant L. D. Conn, and a state conservation officer were at the fateful checkpoint. West approached driving an auto rig stolen from one of the murder victims, and upon questioning, aroused Sheriff Shaffer's suspicions. Shaffer climbed atop the rig and discovered Daniels, ordering him out at gun point. As he did this, West decided to make a run for it, opening fire on the Lima officer, who was wounded but returned fire, killing West. In the end, Daniels was captured without incident, West died two hours later, and the Lima officer and the conservation officer later recovered from gunshot wounds.

A local editorial hailed the capture, recalling the in famous Neil Bowman fiasco (14 years previous!) and noting the planning and advancements which enabled the Patrol's blockade procedure and the wonderful cooperation among agencies to succeed (whereas the Bowman case was an utter failure.)

A full-scale test of attack preparedness was undertaken in 1950, when the city of Marion experienced an "attack" drill. National Guard troops, city and county officials, and a Highway Patrol contingent of 40 uniformed officers, 150 Auxiliaries, and several radio operators (along with all five radio trailers) placed the disaster plan into effect. At 2:08 P.M. on September 17, 1950, 16 Ohio National Guard bomber and fighters "buzzed" Marion's industrial west side, simulating nuclear attack. Over 1,500 people were involved in the exercise, making Marion "the only city in Ohio ready to meet such an emergency." One radio-journalist, noting the effectiveness of the Highway Patrol Auxiliary echoed the oft-heard sentiment, "Thank God for the American Legion."

Another element of preparedness was the dreaded "semi-annual inspection." While from a preparedness standpoint these inspections seemed vital, the result was the loss of many patrol hours as personnel devoted their time to cleaning posts and vehicles, painting engines (which caused cars to run poorly until all the paint burned off), and maintenance chores. The program was abandoned in the latter part of the 1950s due to the tremendous loss of enforcement time during preparation.

Another unsuccessful and unpopular program during this time was known as "10-for-1." The 10-for-1 program dictated that for every crash an officer investigated, he was expected to also include 10 "units of correction" (warnings or arrests) in his monthly activity. In other words, if an officer investigated 12 crashes during a month, his activity was expected to include at least 120 corrections. The failure in the program was that it imposed quotas, the only such imposition of quotas in division history, and sometimes forced officers to issue corrections they would rather have not. The butt of a great number of good-natured jokes, 10-for-1 was eliminated in the early 1950s.

A more effective effort to reduce defect-related crashes was the yearly safety check. Following the war, the Ohio Chiefs of Police and the Patrol annually joined forces to conduct a month-long traffic check to reduce the number of serious defects in Ohio vehicles. In the first three years, the safety check program boasted over three-quarters of a million checks, with roughly 20 percent indicating some sort of safety defect. The number of defects declined from then on, as the effects of wartime rationing diminished and new cars and parts became more readily available.

Another approach to promoting safety was the strategic placement of personnel and equipment during busy holiday traveling periods. At such times, the five mobile radio trailers were parked in busy, crash-plagued areas, broad casting safety reminders over loudspeakers. The high visibility, as well as media attention to the effort, succeeded in reducing crashes in many otherwise hazardous areas.

Underscoring a continuing acceptance for the division as a permanent part of state government, the first change in the Patrol pension plan was approved in July 1949. The measure greatly improved the pension fund, and included changes such as: lowering of retirement age to 52; credit for WWII service could be purchased; early (20-year) retirement was allowed; and the pension would be based on the five highest paying years of service (rather than 15 years as before). It also raised the officer contribution from four to five percent of his salary. One month later, the first retirement (a disability retirement), was taken by 1st Lt. S. D. Augenstein. A graduate of the Camp Perry Class, Augenstein had been in a command role for over 10 years before his retirement.

The issue of Patrol involvement in strikes was brought to the forefront in 1949-50 when a nationwide coal strike was called in September 1949. In Ohio, the strike covered 22 counties and 17,000 men, and involved some violence as non-union mines continued production. The Patrol was called in and ordered to keep the highways open and free from violence. At times, officers escorted coal trucks (which had been the target of violence when confronted by strikers), angering union officials who issued regular indictments against the division. In the end, Patrol officers never had to enter private property, and the case became another example of effective cooperation between agencies.

Patrol identification work was also brought into public notice in two tragic incidents which occurred during this time.

The Mt. Vernon post received a call on Sunday, February 27, 1949, reporting a fire at Old Kenyon Hall, the men's dormitory at Kenyon College in Gambier. A massive fire which an expert estimated to exceed 3,500 degrees centigrade, it claimed six lives. Patrol identification officers Sgt. F. S. Van Allen and Sgt. H. G. Bluemlein were dispatched to the scene and spent days working with college officials to remove caved-in stone walls and debris. They then sifted bone fragments from the debris, cataloguing and photographing each step, before the six victims were positively identified.

Another grizzly identification job arose when a troop train collided with a passenger train on September 11, 1950, just outside of West Lafayette in Coshocton County. Killed in the crash were 33 young army recruits, many of whom had no dog tags, personal effects, or fingerprint records. Ordinarily, the Patrol would not be involved in such incidents unless traffic was affected, but this case was a wartime emergency (Korean War) and identification officers were requested by the U. S. Army. F. S. Van Allen again led the identification process, eventually requiring to dental records to positively the final 12.

A new law regulating the processing and sale of horse meat led the Patrol into another area of unusual service in 1951. Sgt. J. V. Seryak, a graduate of the Seventh Academy Class who distinguished himself as a top investigator in several earlier cases, was assigned (at the request of the Ohio Attorney General) to investigate the activities of the Kay Brand Packing Company of Findlay. His subsequent investigation, involving workers and companies as far away as North Dakota and Texas, uncovered an illegal horse meat operation which for two years had sold nearly 30,000 pounds of horse meat (as beef and pork) a week. Seryak's lengthy and complicated investigation earned him the first O. W. Merrell Meritorious Service Award ever issued for investigative work.

But of all activities during the 1950s, the most pro found were the tremendous technological advances that were to occur. These, another manpower increase (from 400 to 650), and (despite continued recruiting difficulties) rapid-fire Academy classes, would precipitate changes in the Patrol that were to stand the test of decades.

In early 1952, the division purchased "intoximeters" and began training officers in their use. The first "scientific" method of determining alcohol presence, it consisted of a glass mouthpiece, a balloon, and three glass tubes. One tube held a sponge that changed color to indicate alcohol in the sample. The other two tubes were sealed to preserve specimens in case the arrest was challenged.

At about the same time, the use of aircraft for enforcement finally went beyond the occasional manhunt. On July 4, 1952, Ptl. W. D. Braucher and Sgt. J. H. Gorham were observing traffic conditions from the air and spotted a semi- truck driving recklessly on Route 224 in Mahoning County. They radioed its position to Sgt. W. E. Timberlake, patrolling below, who subsequently stopped the vehicle. Braucher then landed the plane to file charges. As though a light had been turned on, plans for various enforcement-related uses for aircraft exploded and the role of Patrol aircraft changed forever.

That same year saw the greatest advance of all -- radar speed measuring devices. In Spring 1952, the Patrol unveiled several of the devices, conducting highly visible demonstrations to familiarize judges and prosecutors with the new concept. The unit itself consisted of a "field box," about the size of two ordinary shoe boxes, which was mounted on a carriage on the cruiser's right rear fender and connected to a "speed meter" which registered the speed of passing vehicles. Long cables attached the unit to the cruiser's battery. A radar team generally set up on the side of the highway, placing "radar speed control" signs up the highway to avoid the speed trap stigma. Because the patrol car was not mobile when using a radar unit, the officer radioed the description of violators' vehicles to an "interceptor officer" waiting further down the road.

Although radar already had been used for speed enforcement by various city and state agencies on an experimental basis, it was still a very new concept and some judges were reluctant to accept such evidence without some assurance that it was fair and reliable. In these cases demonstrations were arranged in which judges, mayors, and members of the media could see for themselves that the devices performed accurately. Officials would receive a short explanation of the principles of radar and then the demonstration, which usually involved the official telling a patrolman how fast to drive by the radar team and then checking to see if the radar reading was accurate. In the vast majority of cases, these demonstrations were sufficient to ease doubts.

Another hint of the evolution of Patrol work was emphasized in a Flying Wheel magazine article on narcotics identification published in 1952. Included was a handy checklist with descriptions of the appearance and effects of marijuana, cocaine, and opiates. Though the article noted that narcotics abuse appeared to be less than before the war, it illustrates that officers did occasionally run into such cases.

The Ohio Department of Highway Safety (ODHS) was formed with the passage of Amended House Bill 243 on May 19, 1953 (to become effective October 2, 1953.) Included within the ODHS was the administration branch, the Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Though the Patrol had not favored the change, it did represent a step up in terms of importance -- the Patrol would be one of only two subdivisions under the ODHS administration.

The first director of the new Department of Highway Safety was Urie C. Felty. Director Felty was one of the original patrolmen, and rose to Colonel Mingle's executive officer at the rank of major-inspector. Upon accepting the appointment to director, Felty became the first officer to take a regular retirement.

At about the time the ODHS bill was passed, Colonel Mingle announced a complete reorganization of Patrol operations, highlighted by a new, nine-district plan and the addition of about a dozen new posts. The plan went into effect August 1, 1953, though Colonel Mingle admitted it would take about 30 days to set up the new district headquarters installations at Bucyrus, Jackson, and Midway (near the Shelby-Miami County line.) The Midway headquarters was only temporary, with the permanent facility slated for Troy. After further consideration, Piqua was selected as the site for the headquarters facility which was completed in November 1955.

The process of building the first of a large number of fairly standard, one-story, brick and concrete post buildings was already underway. The first opened in Dayton in March 1952, followed by another in Wintersville (Steubenville.) At the time of the reorganization, Col. Mingle announced that the Patrol would build two such posts a year, and indeed, for the next 20 years that pace was maintained.

A new post of another type was also opened in 1952. Responding to plans to build a billion dollar atomic energy plant in Waverly, the division established post 66, a communications trailer parked in a state park at the south edge of town. Manned by two sergeants, the Waverly post (also known as the Piketon post) was slated to become permanent with a patrol-owned building. Instead it was closed in 1956.

Along with the construction of new posts, the first permanent weigh stations were being erected. The first were at Hessville (near Fremont) and at Route 40/42 in Madison County. They were radio-equipped and operated by civilians, often continuously (24 hours) during peak times.

The division finally got its new General Headquarters, or at least a different general headquarters, in February 1954 when it moved into the old Blind School at 660 East Main Street in Columbus. The building consisted of a main structure built in the mid-19th century and two dormitories built in the 1930s. Patrol operations were located primarily in the south dormitory building. Among the improvements needed before moving in was a bit of an electrical upgrade -- being a dormitory for Blind School students, each room was only wired for a single 40-watt light bulb!

On Lake Erie, officers were busy getting their "sea legs." A 15-foot boat and trailer had been purchased earlier (around 1950) and assigned to Baybridge. Although mobile and intended to be used throughout the state, it almost exclusively remained in the Baybridge area where it was used (sparingly) for emergency and rescue situations.

At the time the new Dayton post opened, Colonel Mingle announced that 24-hour patrols would be in force in the Dayton area shortly, and eventually all over the state. The previous practice of having one officer sleep at the post and call in officers as needed was outmoded -- recent studies indicated that 62 percent of all fatal crashes occurred at night. At about the same time a new "get tough" policy was initiated to reduce crashes and fatalities. In 1951, only 22 percent of violation stops resulted in arrest -- under the new policy the figure would be closer to 60 percent.

The stricter approach had worked in Pennsylvania, which drastically cut the number of repeat offenses -- by handing out automatic 90-day suspensions to anyone caught violating the 50-mile-per-hour speed limit. Following that first year of the more stringent enforcement policy, the Ohio State Highway Patrol was rated second in the "big eight" states for its traffic enforcement program by the National Safety Council. The following year the division tied for first with California, underscoring the effectiveness of Patrol enforcement efforts.

The field of driver examination was also greatly enhanced during this period. Examiner training became organized, with schools held at Hartman Farms. The first convened in the summer of 1952 with 18 students -- all of whom had applied to be patrolmen but did not meet standards. Classroom work mostly consisted of studying the laws, as well as other lesser subjects such as spotting "ringers" who took exams for other people. Road practice included actually driving the obstacle course and learning how to take over when an applicant got in trouble while taking the exam.

That first group also initiated use of a series of special, "poor eyesight glasses" which simulated astigmatism, nearsightedness, and tunnel vision. Later used in training of regular cadets, the glasses were worn by students while trying to negotiate the obstacle course.

Driver examiner uniforms -- gray trousers and shirts, darker-colored "Eisenhower jackets," and caps -- were also adopted in 1952.

A program for the general improvement of licensing procedures was also underway. It began with an intensive crackdown on "stand-ins," a problem which had become quite widespread. Later, written tests, and a system of giving exams by appointment were launched. The first mechanized vision tests were also initiated. By 1955, the procedure for giving exams was (in a general sense) very similar to that which exists in the 1990s.

The flurry of activity in the early to mid-1950s occurred as one of the most revolutionary improvements in personal transportation -- the interstate freeway system -- was fast becoming a reality. The coming of the interstates was the source of a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety for Patrol planners, who envisioned severe difficulties patrolling the new roads. There was much doubt that they could ever assemble a force large enough to handle all the breakdowns, crashes, and accompanying traffic snarl-ups. Fortunately, engineering advances -- both in cars and highway construction -- assured that problems would never be as severe as Colonel Mingle and his staff predicted.

On December 1, 1954, the first 22-mile stretch of the Ohio Turnpike opened. Throngs of motorists attended a dedication ceremony that snowy Wednesday, with over 1,000 people joining a caravan, following a snow plow and an Ohio State Highway Patrol cruiser, to become among the first to drive on the new highway. The opening of that section of highway represented the first time toll roads of two major states were connected together.

The legality of Patrol enforcement on the Ohio Turnpike remained in doubt for nearly seven months, until legislative action was passed to approve Turnpike regulations and the authorization for the Patrol to add enough officers to police the road.

Since 1951, authorized manpower had been 650, and though that figure had never quite been reached (records indicate an average manpower complement of 603 in 1954), the cap was raised to 700 in 1955. The following year, an increase allowing an additional 59 officers, (specifically contracted by the turnpike), was granted.

The entire 241-mile Turnpike opened on October 1, 1955, and with it came the Patrol's tenth district. Under the command of Lt. John L. Bishop, the district was headquartered in Berea and consisted of three posts -- Swanton, Castalia, and Hiram.

The 40-hour work week with compensatory time off for holidays worked became law at the same time the Turnpike operation hit full stride. Originally set for July 1955, then moved back to October, the change also eliminated "reserve time," the requirement that officers remain at home and "on call" during their off- duty time.

To offset some of the lost hours resulting from the 40-hour work week, the division began hiring civilian dispatchers to enable sworn officers to dedicate more time to enforcement efforts. Many of the first civilian dispatchers were Auxiliary officers.

On November 4, 1955, 26 officers of the 44th Academy Class graduated. Among them was one Louis D. Sharp, who earned the distinction of being the first African-American Ohio highway patrolman. A graduate of Columbus East High School, and later Florida A & M where he was a star football player, Sharp was one of two African-Americans to start the class (the other quit when he was offered a better paying job in private industry.) After leaving the Patrol, Sharp was elected mayor of Urbancrest, a community in southern Franklin County.

Motorcycles, which had been used only for parades and centerlining details since about 1953, were finally removed from all Patrol operations in 1955. The elimination of the final 27 motorcycles left the Patrol with 542 vehicles: 504 passenger cars, 19 jeeps, 10 trucks, a station wagon, five emergency trailers, two airplanes, and a boat.

In 1956, "faintly marked" cruisers, special cars without sirens, red lights, or traditional markings, were put into operation. Marked only with one-inch letters located under the window on the front door, these faintly marked vehicles were an answer to an increased incidence of organized "drag racing." Difficult to arrest, drag racers often set up networks of lookouts who flashed signals to participants when a cruiser approached. It was hoped the faintly marked cruiser could penetrate to the center of the races before being discovered. The program was not popular, however, and the division was compelled to end it shortly after.

The division entered one of the most extensive manhunts in history on June 21, 1956, when truck driver Alfred "Buck" Wilson went on a wild spree of killing and terror. Wilson, despondent over his wife having left him, shot three people, then kidnapped a 16-year-old girl and later killed her.

After several days of searching, involving reports of sightings in Trumbull and Portage Counties, a well confirmed report placed Wilson at the Ravenna Arsenal grounds. County officials requested National Guard assistance, but when informed 30 Patrol units were on the way, the re quest was withdrawn. By the next morning, almost 200 units were on the scene (121 Patrol officers, 73 Auxiliaries, and a Patrol plane). Under the direction of F. C. Moon and W. B. Umpleby, they began a sweep of a one square mile area containing homes, woods, and farmers' fields. The movement started at dawn, with units forming a line along the entire width of the area and searching every building, treetop, and shrub. As one section of the line lagged behind, the plane would hold other sections back, then the entire line would proceed again in unison. The search took nearly four hours and was not successful, but did establish a thorough pattern for future hunts. Patrol units from districts three and seven, along with all sheriffs deputies, were relieved, leaving the original detachment of 30 patrolmen.

On July 2, the emergency headquarters set up by the Patrol received a report that Wilson was seen getting into a yellow car in Leavittsburg. Cpl. J. J. Szabo, and Ptls. R. H. Duffy and F. M. Smith spotted the car, recognized it as belonging to Wilson's brother-in-law (James Lawson) and proceeded to Lawson's home.

Upon arrival at the Lawson home, the officers found that Wilson had already escaped through a back door. They immediately began pursuit. While searching through the underbrush, Ptl. Duffy spotted Wilson in a tree with a Lugar in his hand, watching Ptl. Smith. Duffy called to the desperado to drop his weapon, but instead the man turned on him. Duffy and Smith fired on Wilson, killing him. An extensive manhunt lasting over 10 days was over -- as was the life of the wanted man.

A large contingent of patrolmen saw strike duty later that year, when forty officers were sent to southeastern Ohio during the telephone strike of 1956. The strike crippled communications in the area as cables were cut, exchanges raided, and extensive damage inflicted on equipment. The Patrol was called in to keep the highway open and protect property along it, and to follow and report on bands of roving pickets. In areas of Patrol presence, malicious damage was eliminated for the remainder of the strike.

Additional advances during this time held the promise of enhanced detection and prosecution of criminals. The Patrol obtained its first polygraph in 1956. Cpl. W. C. George was the first to be trained and certified as an operator of the device, which was, in the first several months of use, helpful in over a dozen cases. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles' mechanized operators license files also went into operation in 1956. The first automated history and conviction resource available to Ohio officers, the file would quickly evolve into a very important officer safety tool. In addition (and more in line with its intended purpose), repeat offenders could now be more quickly identified.

What was thought to be the greatest advance of all was the ground work laid for the introduction of television into law enforcement. Eager to utilize this exciting new technology to further advance crimefighting, Dir. Felty and Patrol Radio Engineer A. B. Shirk traveled to Washington D. C. to testify for and earn a television license for the Patrol. It was believed that television would soon become a major tool in law enforcement, but the cost far outweighed the capabilities and the project went no further.

One further advance, one which drew little attention but did more in terms of safety than any other, was safety belts. In June 1956, Colonel Mingle announced that all future Patrol cars would be equipped with the devices, citing claims by safety experts that such "lifesaving bands" would greatly reduce highway casualties.

Under Colonel Moritz, a change was made in the command structure in late 1957. Two new majors were appointed, one in charge of "services" and the other in charge of "line operations." These were in addition to the deputy superintendent (at this time, S. B. Radcliffe) who also held the rank of major. Among Colonel Moritz's first priorities was to rebuild the general headquarters communications system. On February 25, 1956, an intense storm toppled the 224-foot radio tower in northern Columbus. Fortunately there were no injuries, but the statewide radio network was disrupted for a time. The end result was a major improvement in the communications system.

The Columbus communications center was relocated to general headquarters and linked by a remote control microwave system to a new tower and transmitter near New Albany. The new system, completed in 1957, consisted of a radio telephone, a radio telegraph, a private line teletype, and a radio dispatcher. Later, an emergency power generator was installed at the New Albany tower to assure continued operations for civil defense.

It was also 1957 when Colonel Moritz and his staff began looking into developing a more fair and reliable evaluation system, as well as one which could act as a guidance and training tool. The job was assigned to Sgt. Robert M. Chiaramonte who, working with Sherwood Peres, Ph.D., of the Ohio State University, developed the Diagnostic Forced Choice Evaluation System. Designed to eliminate favoritism and the "halo effect" (in which one or two acts overshadow the remainder of an officer's activity), the system was completed in 1958 and became the basis of many similar rating systems in the United States and Canada.

Civil defense returned as a top priority for Highway Patrol planners in 1959 when heightened Cold War tensions prompted the federal government to place greater emphasis on at tack preparedness. In addition to taking charge of a variety a defense related equipment (such as an emergency generator at the headquarters tower, radiological measuring devices, etc.) the division took on the responsibility of preparing Civil Defense Manuals for the evacuation of major target areas in the state. Included in the plan were evacuation routes, check points, staging areas, and auxiliary assignments. Much reliance was also placed on private citizens, mostly farmers residing at crossroads, who volunteered to assist in the event of an emergency. The entire project took months to complete, but the complexities of the system and constant changes to it resulted in the abandonment of the manuals around 1961.

Traffic enforcement took another giant leap on July 4, 1959, when the first air-to-ground speed check was held on Route 40 between New Rome and West Jefferson in western Franklin County. The highway was marked in quarter-mile zones and an observer clocked vehicles as he and the pilot flew overhead. Violators were reported to an interceptor on the ground. The program proved very successful, and airspeed zones soon appeared in every district. Following a breaking-in period during which local judges and prosecutors were made familiar to the process, the program was expanded, and by 1961 nearly 3,500 airspeed arrests were being made annually.

The success and promise of the air-speed program led to the purchase of two Champion airplanes and a helicopter in 1960. With five aircraft now in the fleet, multiple air-speed operations could now be undertaken at the same time without compromising civil defense preparedness. The helicopter crashed two years later, injuring two patrol officers and one auxiliary, and was replaced three months later by a new Hiller helicopter.

The helicopter flew several impressive and dangerous rescue missions in the early 1960s. The first, in late 1962, was at the scene of an airplane crash on dangerous Lake Erie ice. Patrol pilots flew to the scene, found there were no survivors, and recovered the bodies. A couple months later, the helicopter was again dispatched to Lake Erie, this time to rescue four fishermen stranded on an ice floe. A similar mission rescued two U. S. Coast Guardsmen the following year.

Colonel Radcliffe effected several structural changes in district and post commands in 1960 to upgrade supervisory ranks. At the top, field sergeants were eliminated, and in their place two first sergeants would serve at each district. Sergeants, rather than corporals, would now serve as post commanders. The post-level supervisory staff also included a corporal and a patrolman II (a rank added in 1957 to fulfill the role previously held by the senior patrolman, or "second man.")

Colonel Radcliffe also added the rank of lieutenant colonel for the assistant superintendent. Major F. C. Moon, a graduate of the Second (Delaware) Class, was the first to hold the rank, from which he retired in 1963.

Earlier legislative actions added the ranks of driver examiner II and III, and radio technician I, II, III, and IV. Add to this a doubling in the number of driver examiners (from 75 to 150), additional civilian dispatchers, and an increase in authorized uniformed strength from 700 to 800 (plus 76 Turnpike officers), and the result was more time available for patrolmen to concentrate on law enforcement.

Addressing an increase in water activities, Colonel Radcliffe created an underwater recovery squad in 1960. Fourteen officers, including representatives of each district, completed an accelerated one-week course at the Ohio State University, then returned to their posts to await "the call." Members of the underwater team provided valuable assistance on several occasions before the program was eliminated.

It was also in 1960 that the division obtained its own chemical laboratory and hired a civilian chemist. The new lab was installed at general headquarters and enabled the Patrol to be more self-reliant in its investigations. The chemist proved invaluable in routine matters as well, such as intoximeter analysis.

Patrol efforts in highway safety education during this period included assistance in the production of several chilling, real-life movies portraying the realities of unsafe driving. One such film was "Signal 30." Filmed at the scenes of actual fatal crashes, it graphically illustrated the ordeal motorists went through in their final moments. The features had a profound impact on many of those who saw them, and probably saved many lives of persons who were "scared straight" by the images.

Another sort of educational program was the Patrol's involvement in Cornell University's Automotive Crash Research Project. The program involved precise completion of forms designed by researchers to determine which features of cars were dangerous and how they might be made safer. After two years, the work of officers from 22 states resulted in a number of recommendations which led to safer auto designs. The division later assisted the Ohio State University in a slow moving vehicle study which also produced important safety recommendations.

A memorable fugitive case held the attention of Ohioans for a month as the Patrol and other law enforcement agencies worked hand-in-hand to bring a desperado to justice. On October 18, 1960, Gordon "Spunky" Firman escaped from the Coshocton County jail and proceeded to go on a month-long spree of burglaries, hold ups, and auto thefts. During this time, Firman lived a "charmed life," continually escaping blockades and stakeouts, and twice disappearing after high speed crashes. Compounding the problem was assistance from individuals who, though no comparisons exist, considered Firman to be a modern-day Robin Hood.

Firman's spree came to an end in November 1960. After crashing a roadblock, nearly running down a patrolman, and disappearing in a hail of bullets, Firman was tracked to a nearby house where he held an elderly woman hostage. In a heroic effort, an Auxiliary officer removed the woman from the house. Patrolmen, deputies, and police officers then raided the house and took Firman alive.

Another example of good police work put an end to a multi-state, million dollar fake accident ring. In January 1961, a Patrol car struck a 1957 Chevy which stopped rapidly at a traffic signal. As the investigating officer Cpl. J. H. Schneider took the report, it became apparent that the driver was attempting to confuse him. Continued questioning further aroused the corporal's suspicions. Two days later, with the help of an ex-patrolman who was an insurance investigator, he found the vehicle had been involved in four other crashes the same day as the patrol car crash. The driver was part of a small but organized group who bilked insurance companies of over one million dollars by making claims several times for the same damage.

The division was called back to mine duty in 1961, not in relation to a strike as earlier, but instead to assist at the scene of a disaster. The Betsy #3 mine of the Powhatan Mining Company in Bloomingdale experienced a major tragedy, necessitating the assignment of officers to traffic control and emergency vehicle escorts in the area.

Auxiliary members were handed another vital duty in April 1963 when they were authorized to perform desk duty. The move freed a substantial number of sworn officers to concentrate on enforcement activities and investigate crashes. A year later auxiliarymen were assigned to solo patrols in state trucks to assist stranded motorists.

Colonel Radcliffe retired from active service on January 1, 1964. The first officer to attain 30 years of active service, Colonel Radcliffe was the only remaining member of the Camp Perry Class at the time of his retirement. Chosen to succeed Colonel Radcliffe was Captain Anson B. Cook, a graduate of the Fourth Academy Class and most recently commander of the Investigation section.

One of Colonel Cook's first moves as superintendent was the elimination of the rank of patrolman II on January 24, 1964. This resulted in the largest mass promotion in Patrol history when 69 patrolman II’s were promoted to corporal. The following month 54 patrolmen were promoted to corporal, enabling the assignment of three to each post.

Also in 1964, Colonel Cook realigned the command staff by assigning two majors as "zone commanders" of operations in the north and south halves of the state. Major J. L. Bishop drew the assignment as north zone commander and Major H. T. Cowell was selected south zone commander. At about the same time, an intelligence unit was formed to perform special assignments for the superintendent and provide security for the governor.

September 19, 1964 was a proud day as dignitaries gathered near the Ohio Fairgrounds to break ground for the new Patrol Academy. Approved by the 105th General Assembly, the $1.5 million Academy promised to be the most modern police training facility in the nation. Following the ground breaking, Gov. James A. Rhodes commented, "I know that . . .we have the finest Highway Patrol in these United States of America . . . I think this is a start, a new era for the Highway Patrol, and I think that the goals are unlimited and the potential untouched."

The Patrol certainly had progressed in its second 15 years. The tremendous strides included the addition of a large number of officers, the integration of modern and effective tools in to enforcement work, and the accumulation of a great deal of knowledge and experience. Each was critical because Gov. Rhodes was right; the Highway Patrol was entering a new era.

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