Capt. Arthur Combest
| Captain Arthur Combest joined the Patrol in September 1988 as a Cadet Dispatcher for the Toledo Post. He began training in May 1989 as a member of the 118th Academy class. He earned his commission that November and was assigned to the Toledo Post, where in 1994 he earned the Post Trooper for the Year Award. In May 1995 he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and transferred to the former Eaton Post. In June 1996 he earned an Associate of Arts degree from Sinclair Community College. A year later he completed Northwestern University’s School of Police and Command. In May 1999 he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Wilberforce University. In January 2001 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and served as a Post Commander of the former Eaton Post. A year later the Eaton Post merged with the Dayton Post. In May 2004 he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Bluffton College. A few months later he was promoted to the rank of staff lieutenant and transferred to Field Operations in General Headquarters. In August 2006 he transferred to District 5 Headquarters. In August 2008 he was promoted to the rank of Captain and took over command of the Columbus District. Originally of Erie, Pennsylvania, S/Lt. Combest now resides in Clayton with his wife, Lailoni and their five sons; Arthur, 18, Shawn, 14, Charles, 13, Baylee, 7, and Tyler, 5. |
My name is Arthur J. Combest Sr., and I am Staff Lieutenant in the Ohio
State Highway Patrol assigned to the Piqua District in Piqua, Ohio. I
am an 18-year veteran of the division and a member of the 118th Academy
Class; graduated from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy November 6, 1989.One of the unique things about the 118th Academy
Class is that it was one of the largest minority represented classes in
the history of the division.
The reason I chose to join the Patrol is the opportunities that were afforded to me and the prestigious image of the organization. Prior to joining the organization, I was in the military (US Navy) and upon completion of my enlistment, I decided to pursue a career in law enforcement. There were several state, local and federal law enforcement agencies heavily recruiting minorities during this time. What impressed me about the Ohio State Highway Patrol more than all the other agencies was the professional image, and appearance each and every one of their officers demonstrated.
To illustrate this even more, as I was transitioning from the military into the civilian work force I was stopped (deservingly) by a white state trooper, who issued me a speeding citation. However, during the course of the contact he was professional and courteous to the point that he gave me information about joining the Highway Patrol. I subsequently took him up on the opportunity and 11 months later, I was hired on as a Cadet Dispatcher until I was accepted into the Patrol academy.
In my 18-year career with the organization, I have moved through the ranks from cadet dispatcher to my present position as Captain. I have worked at three posts and was selected and promoted to serve as an Inspector out of our General Headquarters Office located in Columbus. I was the first African-American inspector for the division. Since I have been with the organization, I have earned three degrees (associate’s degree in police science, bachelor’s degree, and master's degree in organizational business management) with the assistance of the employee tuition reimbursement program. I am truly secure in this organization that has a culture to promote and develop the most valued commodity of the agency, its people.
