Seven states send troopers to hurricane

www.statetroopers.org
Seven states send troopers to
hurricane-ravaged New Jersey
Troopers from seven states – 280 in all –
traveled to New Jersey to assist with ongoing
security, patrol, and recovery operations in
the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, as part
of the Emergency Management Assistance
Compact. Thank you to the troopers who
traveled from these states to assist with
the disaster in New Jersey: Louisiana State
Police, Maine State Police, Maryland State
Police, Michigan State Police, Mississippi
Highway Patrol, Pennsylvania State Police,
and Vermont State Police.
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey
Volume 22, Issue 1
Winter 2013
reminded residents that when Hurricanes
Katrina and Andrew struck, many New
Jersey officers selflessly helped with rescue
and recovery efforts in Louisiana, Florida,
and other hard-hit areas, stating that the
mutual support and service has come full
Mississippi Troopers are sworn in as New
Jersey troopers.
circle as officers from those states came to
New Jersey in the aftermath of Sandy.
These deployments were made under
An officer with the Montoloking, N.J., Police Department points out storm damage to Tpr. Jim Gillespie and Sgt.
Richard Dragomer of the Michigan State Police. Sandy is estimated to have caused more than
$20 billion in damage to areas in the Northeast.
the provisions of the EMAC mutual aid
agreement between the states. Visiting
troopers reported to the Joint Base at
McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst for a swearing-in
ceremony with New Jersey Attorney
General Jeffrey S. Chiesa and then began
helping local, county, and state law
enforcement officers.
“As Americans we have always found
a way to come together during times of
hardship, and in the past New Jerseyans
have stepped up to help when called upon,”
Chiesa said. “There is a brotherhood in
law enforcement and a spirit of service,
both of which are exemplified by these
officers from state police agencies, who are
standing shoulder to shoulder with New
Jersey officers to protect our residents.”
The emergency deployment of Louisiana
troopers in the early morning hours of
Election Day, Nov. 6, threw a kink in their
voting plans, but the Louisiana Secretary
of State’s Office solved the problem for the
absentee voters by allowing them to fax
their vote back from New Jersey.
“This was huge. Our troopers
Continued on page 3
© American Association of State Troopers, Inc. 2013. All Rights Reserved.
From the President’s Pen
Keith Barbier
Fellow Troopers, Highway
Patrol Officers, and State
Police Officers:
a minority with the patrol was often
difficult in the 60s, which made Claude
work even harder, determined to help
those coming behind him realize their
This
issue
of
the dreams as well. In fact, the commissioner
Connection is dedicated to assigned Claude the task of recruiting
two Tennessee troopers who more black officers. Thanks to efforts that
have provided unyielding began with Claude Johnson, today about
leadership to AAST, giving a 11 percent of the THP’s commissioned
combined 39 years of service troopers are minorities.
to your Association.
Claude has always supported and
Claude Johnson, an AAST member promoted the AAST Scholarship
since 1991, began serving AAST as Foundation. Several years ago he
national second vice president in 1995 invited his good friend, Isaac Hayes, a
and was then elected in 2005 to his songwriter who won an Academy Award
most recent position of national third for writing the music for the movie Shaft,
vice president.
to contribute to the Foundation. Isaac
Claude was hired in September 1965 was a regular contributor until his death
by the Tennessee Highway Patrol as the in 2008.
first black trooper in the South. He served
Claude decided to step down from
in every DPS position until 1990, when the AAST board of directors but will
he retired as the assistant director of the continue serving on the AAST Trooper
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation after of the Year selection committee and will
27 years of service.
be available any other time he is needed.
He served as assistant chief of Claude is a dedicated public servant, even
security at the governor’s office and 22 years after his retirement from the
served over 20 years as chief of security Tennessee DPS.
for the Legislative Caucus. Of all his
One thing that stands out when I think
accomplishments, Claude will tell you of Claude is that at every board meeting,
that he is most proud that he retired with without fail, Claude made sure the board
100 percent conviction rate while serving recognized the hardworking staff at
as investigative coordinator, in which AAST HQ. He didn’t consider the high
capacity his job was to assist agents rank he achieved in his career or with
having difficulties attaining convictions AAST a place to rule over people, but
with some of the toughest cases.
a place to work alongside people for a
Claude’s childhood dream was to common goal.
become a Tennessee trooper. Being
Thank you, Claude, for your many
years of wisdom, input, and
thoughtfulness. We are honored
that you will still be involved
with AAST as we have the
daunting task each year of
selecting a national Trooper of
the Year from a vast pool of
extraordinary candidates.
Robert F. “Bob” Yoakum is
another Tennessee state trooper
who provided invaluable leadership and service to AAST. Bob
Johnson 2008
Johnson 1965
began serving as AAST’s Ten-
nessee state director in 1990 and served in
that capacity until his Oct. 21 death at the
age of 75, becoming the longest-serving
state director in AAST history. He also
served on the
AAST Scholarship Foundation board
of directors
and for several
years
reviewed
every single
scholarship
essay submitted by potenYoakum
tial scholarship recipients.
Bob fought a tough battle with cancer
for two years and during his illness was
a constant reminder of hope, dignity,
and courage. Until two weeks before
his death, Bob was working on AAST
scholarship business. He was passionate
about the Scholarship Foundation.
Bob retired from the Tennessee
Highway Patrol in 1995 with the rank
of lieutenant after 35 years of service.
He was tough as nails, stuck to his
convictions with vigor, but was a soft
teddy bear any time anyone mentioned
his granddaughters.
Bob is survived by his son, daughter,
son-in-law, and two granddaughters. His
passing has left a hole in many areas of
AAST. We will miss Bob and his keen
sense of humor, and we deeply appreciate
his giving so willingly to his country, his
state, and to AAST.
Always remember: Every day’s a
holiday, and every meal’s a feast.
Fraternally,
Keith Barbier
President
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2____________________________________________________________________________ AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013
HURRICANE-RAVAGED NEW JERSEY
Continued from front page
volunteered to take this duty. We simply could
not disenfranchise them for making a choice
to help the suffering citizens of New Jersey,”
said LSP superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson.
“The ability to cast a vote is at the heart of our
democracy. Being allowed to do so while on
emergency deployment shows the commitment of
Louisiana citizens both here in Louisiana and in
the devastated communities of New Jersey.”
Other state police and highway patrol agencies
were on standby at press time, in
A Vermont
case storm-torn areas needed
trooper surveys damage in a
additional state troopers.
New Jersey shore community devastated
EMAC enables a
by Sandy. Troopers from several states took disaster-impacted state
a temporary oath of office in New Jersey to to request and receive
uphold state laws.
assistance from other
member states quickly and
efficiently. All costs associated with deploying
resources under EMAC are paid for by the requesting
state. Members of EMAC include all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin
Islands.
New Jersey’s wintry weather created a different type of hurricane recovery scene for Louisiana troopers, who are all too
familiar with the devastating effects of hurricanes.
National Officers
Keith Barbier
President
Trooper Connection® is the official
publication of the American Association
of State Troopers, Inc. and is published
quarterly as a service to AAST members
in conjunction with
American Graphics & Design, Inc.,
www.agad.com
President: Jenny DeBack
Graphic Designer:
Emily McKenna
Bylined articles contain opinions of the
writers and do not necessarily reflect
AAST policy.
AAST Trooper Connection
AAST Headquarters
1949 Raymond Diehl Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
(800) 765-5456
Angie Ishee, Editor
We want to hear from you! Trooper Connection® welcomes your comments, articles, and
article ideas. We also encourage you to send
photographs along with your articles. Please
contact the Public Relations Department:
AAST Public Relations Dept.
(800) 477-9860
E-mail: [email protected]
Visit AAST online: www.statetroopers.org
© Copyright American Association of State Troopers, Inc. 2013
Jeff Lane
First Vice President
Chris Ricks
Second Vice President
Bubba Blue
Third Vice President
Kenneth Musick
Secretary
J.D. Johnson
Treasurer
Winter 2013____________________________________________________________________________ 3
AAST salutes Trooper of Year nominees
The
AAST
Trooper of the
Year award is presented annually to
a state trooper who
exemplified traits
of an outstanding
law enforcement
officer in the previous year.
As we reported
at length in the Fall
2012 issue of the
Connection, Sgt. Gregory L. Stalnaker, 43,
of the West Virginia State Police was named
the American Association of State Troopers
2012 Trooper of the Year for his selfless act
of courage in the line of duty on Feb. 16,
2011, when he shot and killed a suspect who
was firing at officers attempting to serve a
warrant. In July Stalnaker and his wife were
treated by AAST to an all expense paid trip
to Atlanta to receive his award and a cash
gift of $1,000.
We recognize the nominees for the
Trooper of the Year Award by describing
the efforts for which each was nominated.
Each nomination is submitted by someone
in the agency and is endorsed by the head
of the agency.
Arkansas State Police – Chris Goodman
Tpr. Goodman is known
for his outstanding work
as a member of the ASP
Criminal Interdiction Team,
consistently locating large
amounts of drugs and currency. In one event alone
in 2011, he seized $2.3 million in U.S.
currency, a seizure linked to a major drug
trafficking organization.
California Highway Patrol –
Joseph Heightman
On Oct. 30, 2011, Ofcr.
Heightman rescued a victim
from a burning vehicle
following a traffic crash.
Heightman suffered smoke
inhalation when he entered
the burning vehicle and
extricated the man by cutting his jammed
seatbelt and unpinning his legs from the
steering column.
Delaware State Police – Troy Ralston
Cpl. Ralston was en route to court Jan.
11, 2011, on his day off when he suffered
second degree burns while rescuing the
driver of a burning vehicle following a
crash. The seatbelt had to
be cut from the driver and
his legs unpinned from the
steering wheel before the
trooper could move him to
a safe location to administer
CPR, moments before the
vehicle exploded in flames.
Florida Highway Patrol – Stanley Rice
Tpr. Rice helped save
the life of his distraught
neighbor Aug. 9, 2011, when
he observed that the man’s
behavior was awry. Aware
that a handgun was in the
home, Rice did not hesitate
to enter the house and voluntarily take an
annual leave day to help the man deal with
his problems and to seek professional help.
Rice’s cognizance of a person’s desperate
state and his communication skills likely
saved the neighbor’s life.
Indiana State Police –
Daniel Avitia, Michael Carroll
Sr.
Tpr.
Avitia
encountered a series of
events in 2011 to which
he responded decisively,
professionally, and in an
exemplary manner. On June
20, 2011, he and another
trooper helped save the life of a choking
man, and in August, with the assistance of
his bilingual skills, he provided extensive
help to an elderly man attempting to make
his way to New York. In November he dealt
successfully with a suicidal woman.
Tpr. Carroll was off duty
Jan. 16, 2011, when he
helped rescue a woman from
a burning van following a
crash. With the help of a
passerby, Carroll removed
the woman after unpinning
her burning leg. After the men rolled her
in the snow to extinguish the flames, they
moved her a safe distance from the vehicle,
which was then fully engulfed in flames.
Kentucky State Police – Scott McIntosh
Det. McIntosh enlisted
the help of the Drug
Enforcement Administration
as he led an intense
narcotics investigation with
perseverance from Dec.
2007 through Nov. 2011 in
Estill County, after which time 18 arrests
were made involving numerous federal
indictments for distribution of a controlled
substance. Several federal search warrants
were executed, resulting in a 100 percent
conviction rate.
Massachusetts State Police –
Stephen Gregorczyk
Tpr. Gregorczyk and three
police officers approached
a vehicle where a murder
suspect was hiding in the
trunk. The suspect opened
the trunk and fired at the
officers, with a shot striking
Gregorczyk in the chest and a shot hitting
another officer. Both officers were saved by
ballistic vests. Using striking techniques,
Gregorczyk helped wrestle the gun away
from the suspect and take him into custody.
Missouri State Highway Patrol –
D. Mark Hedrick
With the help of a fellow
trooper and local officers,
Cpl. Hedrick devised a plan
to search for a dangerous
fugitive. Following the
suspect attempting to
run over Hedrick and a
subsequent vehicle pursuit, the suspect
crashed his vehicle. The suspect brandished
a gun, causing Hedrick to respond with
gunfire. The suspect had shot himself, as
well as being shot by Hedrick. The fugitive
died at the scene.
New Mexico State Police – Thomas Long
Ofcr. Long executed
an emergency landing in
NMSP Aircraft 606 when
the helicopter experienced
mechanical
problems
and began to spin almost
uncontrollably.
Long’s
outstanding aerial skills allowed the
helicopter to land without damage and all
crewmembers to escape without injury.
New York State Police – James Conway
Sgt. Conway was off
duty when he saved the life
of a 71-year-old woman
when he rescued her from
a vehicle that had crashed
into a pond. Without
hesitation, Conway entered
the chilly water to reach the vehicle, but
the doors would not open. The passenger’s
air supply was quickly diminishing when
Conway broke a window and rescued her.
The vehicle then sank.
4____________________________________________________________________________ AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013
North Carolina State Highway Patrol –
Bennie Grady
Tpr. Grady’s extensive
off-duty involvement in the
community of Goldsboro,
N.C., totaled over 200 hours
in the summer of 2011. He
enlisted the help of local
businesses and organized a
Community Day for children’s safety and
child seat awareness, which raised over half
a year’s funding in donations for the local
Safe Kids chapter. Grady’s continued civic
efforts and community service help ensure
the safety of children in his community.
Ohio State Highway Patrol – William
Elschlager, Timothy Gossett, Anik LePage
While off duty in March
2011 Sgt. Elschlager was
unarmed when he helped a
local officer apprehend an
armed suspect using takedown techniques learned
at the OSHP Academy, as
well as pressure point techniques, to control the suspect, who was later determined
to have a loaded handgun and a pocketknife on his person.
Tpr. Gossett rescued an
intoxicated driver from
a burning vehicle on Dec.
6, 2011. The vehicle was
soon engulfed in flames, and
while the driver received
burns to his feet, Gossett
helped save his life.
Tpr. LePage was offduty on July 6, 2011, when
she helped apprehend a
kidnapping and attempted
aggravated robbery suspect. When a vehicle sped
erratically into a parking lot
where LePage was talking to a friend, she
helped locate and apprehend the passenger
who attempted to rob the driver at gunpoint
and then fled into nearby woods.
Oregon State Police – Gregory Costanzo
Sr. Tpr. Costanzo, a
dedicated drug detection
canine handler, helped the
department obtain its first
detection canines in 2004,
and the OSP currently has
seven across the state. He
and his canine partner are in high demand
by the OSP and other agencies and intercept
large amounts of controlled substances and
currency on a regular basis, including 177.5
pounds of marijuana and 83 pounds of
cocaine in 2011 alone.
AAST Trooper Connection
Rhode Island State Police – RISP Violent
Fugitive Task Force
The Task Force, which receives
assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service,
is responsible for tracking and locating
subjects wanted for predominantly violent
felony crimes. In 2011 the Task Force was
extremely productive, effecting 111 arrests.
South Carolina Highway
Patrol- Anthony Fox
Sr. Tpr. Fox’s reaction and
attention to detail during a
November 2011 DUI traffic
stop led to the arrest of
a suspected murderer and
burglar. Fox suspected the
offender might be involved
in other criminal activities, which led to the
discovery of a murder, for which the DUI
suspect was charged.
Tennessee Highway Patrol –
Dwayne Stanford
Tpr. Stanford conducted
a traffic stop on Sept. 28,
2011, when a passenger shot
him in the chest. Stanford,
protected by his ballistic
vest, returned fire and killed
his assailant. It was later
learned that these subjects were wanted in
Kentucky for arson and in Tennessee for
armed robbery and kidnapping.
Texas DPS – Christopher Cash, Adam
Sweaney, Texas Rangers Company “E”
Tpr. Cash exhibits a strong
work ethic and drive to
work criminal patrol, with
a daily goal of apprehending
criminals and making his
community safer. In 2011
Cash arrested 96 criminals
with 21 criminal interdiction arrests, resulting
in the seizure of 439 pounds of marijuana,
3,171 grams of hydrocodone, 1,142 grams of
cocaine, and many other drugs.
Throughout 2011, Tpr.
Sweaney was a significant
factor in removing illegal
drugs and currency from
Texas roadways, becoming
the single most active
Commercial Motor Vehicle
interdictor in the state. In 2011 he was
responsible for six drug seizures totaling
14,582 pounds of marijuana, 25 kilos
of cocaine, and a currency seizure of
$173,190. He received several awards for
his efforts in 2011.
From 2008-2011, Texas Rangers
Company “E” was instrumental in the intense
investigation of the 1,700-acre Yearning for
Zion Ranch, led by Warren Steeds Jeffs of
the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter – Day Saints. The investigation
resulted in the most evidence seized in a
Texas DPS investigation in the agency’s
history: 928 boxes of evidence resulting in
the removal of 468 children from the ranch
and the grand jury indictment of 12 members
on 25 felony charges of aggravated sexual
assault of a child, bigamy, and performing
illegal marriage ceremonies.
Virginia State Police –
Becky Curl, Jason Hypes
On May 30, 2011, Sgt.
Curl and Tpr. Hypes shot
and wounded an off-duty
deputy sheriff who had just
shot and killed his ex-wife
and led police on a pursuit.
The deputy shot and injured
another VSP trooper before
being confronted by Curl
and Hypes and had begun
shooting at the troopers with
an assault rifle.
AAST salutes the men and women who
were nominated for this prestigious award.
The deadline to submit nominations is
March 30 each year. Nomination details
are mailed to each state police and highway
patrol director. For further information, call
800-765-5456.
Winter 2013____________________________________________________________________________ 5
News from Connecticut
H
Connecticut State Police fires new weapons
The Connecticut State Police says criminals
are footing the $280,000 bill for replacing state
troopers’ 16-year-old weapons with new, highercaliber handguns.
CSP troopers traded their .40-caliber Sig Sauer
pistols for 1,250 new .45-caliber Sig Sauer guns in
the fall. These weapons are made in New Hampshire,
and the Connecticut Troopers Firearms Training
News from indiana
Unit has started the training and distribution of the
new weapons.
CSP spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance says the entire
cost is being paid for with money seized in federal
and state investigations of drug dealers and other
criminals, under the federal asset forfeiture program.
Vance says CSP replaces their handguns every 10 to
12 years.
P
Officers repay troopers in time of need
Thin Blue Line unites
The year was 2005. The date: Aug. 29. Hurricane
Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, killing nearly
2,000 people and wreaking immeasurable destruction
along the Gulf Coast from central Florida to Texas. Following the hurricane, many states sent troopers to aid in
recovery efforts. One state has been paid back during
their own time of need.
The Indiana State Police sent over 100 troopers to
Biloxi, Miss., to assist the citizens, patrol the streets and
neighborhoods, and to provide much-needed relief for the
Biloxi Police Department so their officers could get their
lives back together following Katrina.
Fast forward to March 2, 2012, when a tornado outbreak devastated southern Indiana, chiefly Henryville. The
homes of two troopers were destroyed, while two other
troopers’ homes sustained substantial damage. When the
national media attention of the destruction reached Biloxi,
officers who had benefited from the assistance of Indiana
troopers almost seven years earlier wanted to return the
favor. The Biloxi Police Department held fundraisers and
collected over $9,000 for the four Indiana troopers.
On Oct. 16, two officers from the Biloxi
PD hand delivered a
check to the ISP Alliance at the ISP Post
at Sellersburg, who
Indiana troopers whose homes were destroyed or severely damin turn distributed the
aged by March tornadoes stand with the Mississippi officers who
money to help the
helped raise thousands of dollars for the troopers.
affected troopers.
Indiana troopers take first,
second in SWAT contest
The Indiana State Police proved their prowess in a September SWAT competition.
Teams came from around Indiana, as well as two teams from Illinois, for a threeday SWAT competition, in which the ISP Emergency Response Section North
Squad finished number one, and the ISP Central Squad finished number two.
The competition included five team events involving marksmanship, physical
agility, and endurance, and four events geared toward individual marksmanship,
agility, and endurance. In addition to winning the team competition, Indiana state
troopers finished in first place in the individual obstacle course, pistol
competition, and sniper competition.
“The greatest benefit from the competition is the opportunity to interact
with other tactical teams from throughout the state,” said Lt. Mark French
of the Emergency Response Section. “This familiarity pays dividends when
it is necessary to
come
together
in a mutual aid
situation.”
French added
that the competitive environment
is also beneficial
in allowing teams
to check and
adjust their training standards.
These members of the U.S. Army asked Indiana troopers to take a photo
with them at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway following the
Two teams of Indiana troopers took top honors among
Brickyard 400 last summer.
the state’s SWAT teams.
Heroes in uniform
6____________________________________________________________________________ AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013
Mississippi remains top gun
Representing AAST, Odie Hitt of the Texas DPS, left,
presents Dan Rawlinson of the Mississippi Highway
Patrol a certificate from Sig Sauer for a pistol of his
choice. Rawlinson is the three-time winner of AAST’s
High Scoring State Trooper Award.
For the third straight year, M/Sgt. Dan
Rawlinson, 37, of the Mississippi Highway
Patrol claimed the High Scoring State Trooper
Award in the National Police Shooting
Championships, winning a pistol provided by
Sig Sauer.
Rawlinson’s score of 6,095 with 332x earned
him first place among state trooper competitors
in the annual NPSC, held Sept. 16-20 in
Albuquerque, N.M. His score placed him 6th
overall among 300+ competitors.
“I’m proud to again receive the AAST
award presented to the high-scoring trooper,”
Rawlinson said. “It’s humbling to be recognized
among such outstanding competitors at the
national matches.”
News from Alabama
First held in 1962, the NRA-sponsored
matches incorporate real law enforcement
shooting skills. Competitors start with
guns holstered and fire timed matches with
both revolvers and semi-automatic pistols
from varying distances and positions. The
aggregate scores from the revolver and semiautomatic pistol matches are used to crown a
national champion, with center shots known
as Xs being used as tie-breakers.
Other troopers also placed in individual
matches, including Odie Hitt, Texas DPS,
first place in the service revolver match;
and Kevin McPherson, New Mexico
State Police, third place in the revolver
match. Troopers who placed in team
events included McPherson and Andy
Baldridge of the NMSP who placed second
in the two-officer semi-automatic match.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol team
of Rawlinson, Gregory Barfield, George
Brown, and Dennis Weaver placed third in
the four-man semi-auto match.
AAST sponsored its annual dinner, where
state troopers gathered the night before the
matches to enjoy remarkable camaraderie
and great food.
AAST was proud to once again sponsor
the High Scoring State Trooper Award for
the NPSC, widely considered the world’s
most prestigious law enforcement shooting
competition. We thank Sig Sauer for their
generosity in providing the AAST High
Scoring Trooper Award this year.
Ofcr. Mike Jerd of the California Highway Patrol reloads during a match.
Elizabeth Whitfield of the New Mexico
State Police team fires during a match.
B
Patrol captain honored for civil rights role
In August, Amelia Boynton Robinson
celebrated her 101st birthday by presenting
her 2012 Legacy Award to a member of the
Alabama Department of Public Safety’s family
for her role in furthering civil rights.
During a presentation in Tuskegee, Boynton
Robinson presented the prestigious award to Capt.
Agatha Windsor, commander of the Highway
Patrol’s Troop D (Selma and Tuscaloosa).
“This special award will deeply serve as
a reminder to me of the long and difficult
moments, days, years and lifelong struggle
– endured – to make a better life for my
generation, those behind me, and for the future
generations to come,” Windsor said. “My
career as a troop commander with the Alabama
State Troopers and this award could not have
been achieved without the inspiration I have
received from such people as the students who
AAST Trooper Connection
‘sat in’ at the lunch counters, four little
girls of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church,
Rosa Parks, the sanitation workers, Phillip
Paradise, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr., the unknown and unsung heroes – and
the event’s honoree, Mrs. Amelia Boynton
Robinson. Thank you, Mrs. Robinson, for
your vision and labor to make a better
world for all people.”
Boynton Robinson, a Tuskegee
University alumna, is a leading civil rights
activist who played a key role in efforts
that led to the passage of the 1965 Voting
Rights Act. Windsor was selected for her
personal achievements within the DPS and
her humanistic and professional efforts on
behalf of civil rights.
Capt. Agatha Windsor, left, stands by Amelia
Boynton Robinson upon receiving the prestigious Legacy Award.
Winter 2013____________________________________________________________________________ 7
New troopers across U.S.
AAST congratulates the new state troopers who have completed months of rigorous training in their respective states. The departments
below have welcomed new troopers recently. In spite of budget cuts affecting all departments nationwide, we are proud to see that new
troopers are being added in numerous states.
Virginia State Police
Michigan State Police
Florida Highway Patrol
New Mexico State Police
New York State Police
8____________________________________________________________________________ AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013
Delaware State Police
South Dakota Highway Patrol
Montana Highway Patrol
Oklahoma Highway Patrol
Georgia State Patrol
Trooper has date with destiny
Four men with prior law enforcement experience started their careers as
Alaska State Troopers in October, with one of the men starting his second career
wearing trooper blue.
After 10 years as a trooper, Eric Olsen’s first career was cut short by a terrible
car crash while in Kodiak in 2005. He spent seven long years recuperating –
first learning how to walk again, and then trying to get to a point where he
could rejoin his “brothers and sisters in blue,” Olsen said. He first returned to
the Alaska DPS as an investigator for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
However, his heart was set on wearing the uniform again.
Olsen got that wish when he and other lateral hires Pete Steen of the Palmer
Police Department, Charles Withers of the Ted Stevens International Airport
Police and Fire Department, and James Eyester of the Chester Field County,
Va., Police Department underwent training as Alaska troopers. The four Tprs. Eric Olsen, Charles Withers, Pete Steen, and James Eyester,
proudly show their Alaska State Troopers badges following their
graduated Nov. 16.
November graduation.
AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013____________________________________________________________________________ 9
Shots from
Around the Country
Proud daddy in uniform
Troopers work
political conventions
More than 500 members of the Florida Highway
Patrol were assigned to the 2012 Republican
National Convention detail, held in August in
Tampa. Sworn troopers, along with auxiliary
troopers, support personnel, and duty officers from the FHP regional communication
centers participated in mobile field force,
transportation, security, patrol operations,
communications, and support functions. A
smaller contingent of Florida troopers worked
vehicle traffic screening at the Democratic
National Conventional in Charlotte, N.C.
Troopers secure debate
Les Williams, KSP, photo
Tpr. Ramiro P. Contreras of the Colorado State
Patrol holds his 5-day-old baby girl, Cadence, Kentucky State Police troopers review traffic plans for
the vice presidential debate, held in Danville on Oct. 11
who is his and wife, Robin’s, first child.
between Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul
Ryan. KSP worked with local law enforcement in support
of federal agencies to provide security and traffic control
services for the event.
Wounded warriors welcomed
M/Tpr. Dusty Arnold and R/Sgt. Chip Bedingfield of the Florida Highway Patrol welcomed
wounded service members when Florida State University hosted members of the
Wounded Warrior Project at a September football game.
Famous face
Tpr. Michael McDonald of the Michigan State Police
was recently featured in a statewide “Drive Sober or
Get Pulled Over” drunk driving enforcement
campaign. McDonald could be seen on billboards and
in television ads across Michigan.
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Winter 2013
Troopers carry Honor Flag
9/11 event honors
Kansas troopers attended the Honoring Heroes
event that took place in Topeka, Kan., on 9/11.
Various first responders, including the Kansas
Highway Patrol, were honored at the event.
Trooper provides
football safety
Sr. Tpr. Jason Stedman of the Oregon State
Police works the crowd at the Oregon State
University/Arizona State University football
game on Nov. 3, where OSU picked up the win.
With an OSP patrol office on its campus, OSU is
the only Oregon college with OSP coverage at
athletic events.
An Oklahoma trooper hands off the U.S. Honor
Flag to a Kansas trooper in June as it was en
route to Denver for a police officer’s funeral.
For more details about the flag program, visit
www.ushonorflag.org.
Child seat safety
Motor troopers
take first
Officers Mike Cruz, left, and Johnny Vijil of
the New Mexico State Police received first
place in the category of Motorcycles and
Motorcycle Clubs at the 2012 state fair
parade, being judged on the appearance
of both themselves and their motorcycles.
Vehicle variety
TFC Justin Bertrand of the Louisiana State Police
explains the proper usage and installation of a
parent’s child safety seat during National Seat
Check Saturday in September in Alexandria, La.
While every LSP troop is a NHTSA child seat inspection station, troopers and various local partners
participated in National Child Passenger Week by
sponsoring child safety seat check events throughout the state, when over 400 seats were evaluated.
AAST Trooper Connection
College teams
honor troopers
Marshall University and West Virginia University football teams honored slain troopers Cpl.
Marshall Bailey and Tpr. Eric Workman during
a September game with decals on their helmets
depicting the troopers’ unit numbers.
This fully marked Dodge Charger is one of the many
vehicles in the South Carolina Highway Patrol arsenal, which also includes Crown Vics, Chevy Impalas,
motorcycles, and a fully equipped pick-up truck for
the department’s Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team.
Winter 2013___________________________________________________________________________ 11
News from missouri
a
Golf tourney, book bring in bucks for trooper group
A Missouri trooper is
using a creative way to
help raise funds for the
MASTERS.
Tpr. Terry Bible spent
News from CAlifornia
countless hours gathering
stories and photos to create
the book I Am the Guy Who
Is the Boss on This Highway, an unofficial compilation of funny, enlightening,
and entertaining stories from
retired Missouri troopers.
Proceeds from the book are
donated to the MASTERS.
Books are $10 each, plus $3
shipping for one book, and $1
extra for each additional book
shipped to the same address.
To order The Boss while helping support the MASTERS,
call or e-mail Terry:
417-527-1598
[email protected]
F
Maj. Thomas
Roam chips onto
the green as
Capt. Randall
Beydler (ret.)
watches.
The 41st Missouri State
Highway
Patrol
Golf
Tournament hosted the largest
number of teams in recent
memory, raising $3,400 for
the Missouri Association of
State Troopers Emergency
Relief Society.
Over the past three
CHP cadets give back to community
Community service is an integral part of training to become a CHP officer.
Safety, Service, and Security is more than
just a motto for the California Highway
Patrol; it is a way of life.
As part of their training curriculum,
cadets from the CHP Academy in West Sacramento experienced firsthand the positive
impact service can have within the community. This summer cadets from the CHP
Academy’s senior class donated their time
and energies to the Sacramento Children’s
Home, performing general clean-up and
maintenance tasks throughout the grounds,
as well as painting and landscaping. The
cadets built picnic tables, put up a basketball hoop for the children, and installed a
sprinkler system.
“These men and women joined the CHP
to serve their community,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “The opportunity
decades, the MASTERS
organization has provided
extensive support for families
of troopers killed in the line
of duty.
First place winners in the
championship flight included
Lt. Michael W. Cross and
Tpr. Jason M. Cross.
tional program includes a community project as part of the training curriculum.
“The cadets’ hard work really enhances
the quality of life for the children,” said
Roy Alexander, Chief Executive Officer for
the Children’s Home. “We really appreciate all of their efforts; these young men and
women bring an infectious, positive attitude
to the Children’s Home.”
The class of nearly 70 cadets graduated from the academy in October, becoming officers assigned to CHP area offices
throughout California.
to do that begins
before they even
take the oath.
Throughout their
time spent at the
CHP Academy,
cadets develop
an even greater
appreciation of
that commitment
to service.”
To reinforce
the importance
of contributing
to the community in which
the cadets serve,
the academy’s
27-week instruc- CHP cadets install a basketball goal at the Sacramento Children’s Home.
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Winter 2013
News from Mississippi
Z
Troopers run for children
Mississippi troopers were part of the law enforcement group running to raise
money for hospitalized children.
News from new york
h
New York troopers first to train
on electric vehicle safety
In October New York state troopers
became the first police officers in the nation
to receive training on the safety of electric
and hybrid-electric vehicles.
More than 40 New York State Police
collision investigators received training
aimed at preventing injuries or deaths when
responding to motor vehicles involving
electric vehicles, and the investigators will
subsequently train all New York State
Police troopers statewide. The Electric
Vehicle Safety Training Program for Law
Enforcement, developed over the past year in
conjunction with the National Fire Protection
Association, will be offered by NFPA to
police agencies nationwide.
NFPA’s training was developed as part
of a nationwide effort to help prepare first
responders for the growing number of
electric and hybrid vehicles on the road
today, providing information on how to most
effectively deal with emergency situations
involving extended-range, hybrid, and
electric vehicles.
While all motor vehicle crashes are
potentially hazardous, electric and hybrid-
Hundreds
of
law
enforcement graduates of the
Mississippi Law Enforcement
Officers’ Training Academy
converged on the Capitol
City to raise money for the
Blair E. Batson Children’s
Hospital at the University of
Mississippi Medical Center
September 7.
MLEOTA
Assistant
Director Lt. Thomas Tuggle
said the third annual run had
115 participants and donations
from other officers who could
not attend this year’s event.
The group, which consisted
of several Mississippi state
troopers, raised over $1,600.
“Our officers not only care
about our communities; we
care about the future of our
electric vehicles are characterized by high
voltage electric propulsion systems, which
are significantly different than those found
in conventional vehicles. Although they are
designed with a variety of safety systems,
electric and hybrid-vehicles present unique
concerns for emergency responders if those
systems are compromised as a result of a
motor vehicle crash. The New York State
Police has joined forces with the NFPA to
ensure that its troopers will be prepared to
recognize those potential hazards.
“Our troopers are often the first on the scene
of motor vehicle crashes, so it is critical they
are cognizant of any hazards to themselves,
the vehicle occupants, or other emergency
responders,” said Maj. Robin H. Benziger,
NYSP director of training. “I’m grateful to
the NFPA for sharing their knowledge with
the New York State Police and the broader
law enforcement community.”
The department began working with
specific manufacturers to distribute electric
vehicle safety information to police agencies
in 2009, but had no formal training in place
until now.
communities as well,” Tuggle
said. “And this is about the
children. Raising money
for the Batson Children’s
Hospital is yet another way
our law enforcement officers
dedicate their time and money
to protect our futures.”
The one-mile run began at
Millsaps College and ended
on the UMC campus at the
children’s hospital where
patients and staff greeted the
runners. Mississippi Secretary
of State Delbert Hosemann Jr.
led the run and carried the
MLEOTA flag.
Operated by the Mississippi
DPS, MLEOTA provides
training for state, county,
and local law enforcement
agencies in the state.
Troopers in New York train on the safety of electric
vehicles, which are growing in popularity across the
U.S. Numerous media outlets covered the event as New
York troopers became the first police officers in the U.S.
to receive this training.
Visit us online!
www.statetroopers.org
See interesting trooper news and photos
from around the country, and also track news within AAST.
AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013___________________________________________________________________________ 13
News from Virginia
v
Female troopers blazed trail
Wartime gave women chance to join Virginia State Police
By Tonia Moxley,
The Roanoke Times
handles examinations for drivers’ licenses.”
By Dec. 9, 25 women including Carr were in training in
Chesterfield County. There they took classes in physical fitness,
military, courtesy, and traffic codes and were required to attend
three hours of church every Sunday, according to the original
training manual kept in Richmond.
The women graduated on Christmas Eve, and were given
four days of leave before taking up their posts across the state,
including in Roanoke and Christiansburg.
The women officers didn’t chase speeding motorists or break up
fights like their male counterparts. For a monthly salary of $100
each, they did other white knuckle tasks, such as climbing into
unfamiliar vehicles with new drivers eager to qualify for their first
operator’s license.
The women’s police auxiliary experiment came to an end in
1946, with the announcement that the state police would accept no
more female applicants. Women were urged to leave the civilian,
military, and police jobs they had mastered and return home.
Carr didn’t leave the work force, though. She was recruited to
the Arlington Police Department, where she worked in the office.
By 1948, all remaining women in the auxiliary program
were transferred to the Department of Motor Vehicles, which
in addition to licensing vehicles took over licensing of drivers.
Women weren’t seen in the state police ranks again until 1976,
when Cheryl Nottingham of Charlottesville became the first
female state trooper in the agency’s history.
Of the 1,870 sworn officers who serve in today’s state police,
109 are women. There are no quotas for recruitment of women
and minorities to the state police, agency spokeswoman Corinne
Geller said. But diversifying the ranks is a major priority for the
recruitment division.
Much has changed in law
enforcement in the 81 years
since the fledgling agency
that eventually grew into the
Virginia State Police was
established in 1932.
Since then, bootlegging,
rampant license plate fraud,
and coal strike unrest have
largely given way to drug
interdiction, cyberthreats,
and counterterrorism. But
Evelyn Carr, pictured in 2012, was one the trooper’s pledge chanted
of the first women to join the Virginia by police academy graduates
State Police in 1942.
today is the same one Evelyn
Carr, 95, of Roanoke recited
on Christmas Eve 1942, when she became one of the first women
ever to join the ranks of state police.
“I shall aid those in danger or distress, and shall strive always
to make my state and country a safer place in which to live,” the
graduates declare. “I shall wage unceasing war against crime
in all its forms, and shall consider no sacrifice too great in the
performance of my duty.”
And while their uniforms had skirts instead of pants, Carr and
her classmates were sworn law officers of the commonwealth.
“We had full authority as far as police work was concerned,”
Carr said. Except in one way. “Having a gun, that was the only
thing,” Carr said. “They wouldn’t let us shoot.”
The United States entered World War II
in 1941, and a year later the need to replace
workers lost to military service for a time
swept away the social conventions that had
kept women at home. Women were called
on to fill not only civilian jobs in factories
and offices, but military jobs, too.
According to the nonprofit Women in
Military Service Memorial, nearly 400,000
women served in special branches of the
military formed in WWII to fill noncombat
roles that allowed more men to be sent to
the front lines.
In 1942 the authorized strength of the
state police was 248 men, but more than
half had gone to war or left for better
paying jobs. Just over 100 sworn officers
remained for police duties, which in those
days included patrol work and the testing
and licensing of automobile drivers.
In October 1942, then state police
superintendent Maj. C.W. Woodson was
considering the “advisability of establishing
A class of the Virginia Women’s Auxiliary State Police stands
a Women’s Auxiliary State Police service,
for a graduation picture in their skirted uniforms.
members of which would serve as examiners
for the operators’ license section, which
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Winter 2013
Virginia troopers train on
unique track
After decades of
planning, the Virginia
State Police dedicated
its new, state-of-theart Driver Training
Complex Oct. 20.
The only one of its
kind in Virginia, the
track features an Urban
Response
Course
complete with railroad
tracks and a roundabout,
a 1.5-mile interstate course in both concrete and asphalt, and a one-mile rural
gravel and dirt track that all follow the natural lay of the land. The troopers
now also have access to a 25,000 square foot skid pan and 342,000 square
foot precision driving course, along with an on-site maintenance garage and
storage facilities.
Flanked by 30 trooper-trainees of the 118th Basic Session, state and
local dignitaries along with active and retired VSP personnel participated
in the ceremonial ribbon-cutting outside the training building that features
classrooms, meeting space, offices, squad rooms, and a full-service cafeteria.
The entire facility was built with asset forfeiture monies.
News from Alabama
B
Troopers prep for raging winds
News from arizona
D
DPS awarded for military
employee support
DPS Deputy Director Dennis Young, right, accepts the Patriotic Employer
Award, with DPS Officer/Paramedic Troy Hayes.
Arizona DPS Deputy Director Dennis Young was recently
presented with the Patriotic Employer Award in August
from the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve.
The award was given to Young on behalf of the entire
DPS organization in recognition of the agency’s continued
support of its employees in the military.
“I am proud of the way DPS has supported its service
members,” Young said. “We owe our service members a
great deal and, as an agency, we will always be looking for
additional ways to support them.”
The prestigious award was based on a nomination
from Troy Hayes, a DPS officer/paramedic assigned to
Southern Air Rescue and a flight medic in a medevac unit
of the Arizona Army National Guard. In his nomination,
Hayes stated that the DPS has always been supportive of
his work in the National Guard.
“Leading up to my most recent deployment to
Afghanistan, the agency helped me transition to military
status seamlessly,” Hayes said. “DPS made sure there
were no major hiccups related to my paychecks or
benefits coverage. Human resources handled those details
and several others. As a result, I didn’t have to worry
about those things as I prepared for the challenges of
deploying overseas.”
While on deployment, Hayes was also thankful that his
DPS coworkers kept in touch with him via e-mail and
encouraged him. The department then made his transition
back into the department upon his return to the states
flawless and easy.
The patriotic award is one of the major awards given by
ESGR, a Department of Defense organization established
in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding
between Guard and Reserve component members and
their civilian employers.
The Alabama Department of Public Safety joined other agencies for Operation Raging Winds, a hurricane preparedness exercise Sept. 17-18 in Orange Beach, a
tourist town on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. The event included simulated long-line helicopter rescues, beach patrol, and other training activities to prepare for hurricanes and other emergencies along Alabama’s coastline. The exercise was funded by a grant from the Alabama Department of Homeland Security.
AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013___________________________________________________________________________ 15
2012/13 scholarship recipients named
AAST Scholarship Foundation officials approved 185
scholarships totaling $123,500 to be awarded to AAST members’
children for the 2012/13 term.
Of those, 124 were first-time recipients of an AAST
scholarship, while 44 were awarded a $1,000 scholarship for
maintaining a minimum 3.5 grade point average during the
first scholarship period. A third AAST scholarship of $1,000
was awarded to 17 students who maintained a minimum 3.8
GPA during the second scholarship period. AAST has awarded
Alabama
Logan Balandrin**
Jon Dean**
Justin Peak
Meredith Tucker
Arizona
Jessica Jarvis
Alexis McPike
California
Jordan Francescon
Bailie Hagerman**
Regan Leonard
Connecticut
Max Brereton
Ashley Caruso
Mario Caruso
Casey Foley
Kristen Garbedian
Emily McGlynn
Melissa Meraviglia
Shane Olsen**
Kathryn Rowe**
Sarah Thermer
Michael Thomas
Florida
Austin Bass
Loren Cataldo
Jerrod Crews
Jennifer Dixon**
Julie Harrison
Emily Hudson***
Garrett Jackson
Alyssa Johnson
Mary Johnson
Heather McDonald**
Bridget Riordan
Caitlin Salter***
Travis Sapp
Benjamin Shumate
Chelsea Stacy
Meghan Steele
Michael Thomas
Nicole Thomas
Jabe Weaver***
Brianna Wigfall
Steven Williams, Jr.
Georgia
Mark Badding
Melanie Badding**
Gayla Bell
Tabitha Bentley**
Hannah Howard
Jamie Leopold
Jonathan Shanks***
Iowa
Joseph Leinen
Isaiah Miller**
Breanna Scott
Demi Yeager
Joel Yeager
Idaho
Ryan Summers
Illinois
Matt Copple
over $2.2 million in scholarships to 3,152 students since the
program’s inception in 1990.
Scholarship applications are processed each year by the
AAST Scholarship Foundation to determine applicant eligibility.
Scholarships are to be used at approved post-secondary institutions
for the 2012-13 term. For additional information about the AAST
scholarship program, visit www.statetroopers.org.
AAST salutes the members’ children listed below who have
displayed scholastic excellence.
Moli Copple
Elizabeth Foster
John Tolliver
Nevada
Brian Hagedorn**
Kaitlen Koch
Indiana
Jamie Faust
Tori Havens
Michael Hole
Matthew Hurley
Traci Miller
New York
Aaron Baxter
Alexander Baxter
William Carey
Scott Colello
Logan Corey
James DePlato
Jonathan Diaz**
Jennifer Dombroski
Maddison Dorward
Sarah Ferritto**
Jared Flagler
Stafanie Fresenius**
Christopher
Hennessy**
Kevin Howard**
Christopher Jablonski
Danielle Kealy
Matthew Kealy**
Logan Marshall
Kelly McDarby
Douglas Morgan
Lauren Murray
Keri O’Mara
Maxwell Parker
Alexa Patnaude**
Nicole Ramos***
Amanda Raub
David Rougeux
Mackenzie Smith**
Nicole Thompson
Kentucky
Whitney Antle***
Louisiana
Camryn Morgan***
Victoria Reggio
Massachusetts
Grace Delmolino
William McNamara
Maryland
Rachel Herron**
Minnesota
Derek Thooft***
Missouri
Madison Lyon**
Mississippi
Samuel Henderson***
Sarah Henderson
Logan Lyles
Montana
Michael Lavin
Awards exceed $2.2 million
Oklahoma
Loren Fox**
Taylor Thomas
Michael Witmer
Utah
Gabriel Meyr**
Oregon
Bret Carter
Tyler Cochell
Stacy Duman
Adelaide Guerra
David Hanson
Anna Markee**
Alix Melton**
Eric Olson**
Marq Randall
Michaela Willis**
South Carolina
Stephanie Brock
India Grice
Bradley Hughes
Jacob Reome
Virginia
Skyler Bolt
Joshua Crawford***
Benjamin Lane
Morgan Lewis
Jordan Mitchell
Larissa Moore
Kristopher Musser
Melinda Webb
Pennsylvania
Abigail Brown**
Tyler Diggan
Edward Dorunda
Ian Gayman**
Andrea Gilpin
Alexandria Gustaitis
Nicholas Gustaitis
Alexander Hill
Kelsey Hooker
Brendon Ignatz**
Christopher Ignatz**
Kayla Josephson
Samantha Locke
Michael Ludwig**
Amanda Polca**
Angela Ravotti
Derek Shields
Joshua Sibbald
Kristen Taylor***
Tennessee
Brittany
Broadway***
Jamison Edwards
Laurel Everett
Dalton Hunt
Kendall Jackson
Taylor Mansfield**
Megan Massengill
Morgan Massengill
Lauren Prater
Texas
Lauren Carpenter
Mycah Druesedow**
Marisa Gamboa
Taryn Kelm***
Taylor Kelm**
Megan Matthews
Annie McMurray
Tareyn Morris***
Nole Opperman**
Kyle Weber
Laura Weber***
Alisha Windham**
Vermont
Hannah Cornell
Kaylie Ann Flannigan
Washington
Matthew Cooper
Aaron Dingle***
Nicole Divis**
Kayla Haas**
Kurt Hickman
Kyle Hickman
Katie Rupke
West Virginia
Derrick Bramer
Alexander Butcher**
Haley Cahill**
Allison Helmick**
Mackenzie Long
Hope Roberts**
** Second-time
scholarship recipient
*** Third-time
scholarship recipient
New directors take lead of departments
AAST proudly introduces the new leaders of the following departments.
We wish you the best as you take on the challenges of your new position.
Arkansas State Police
Witt
Col. Stan Witt, 56, was appointed
director of the Arkansas State Police
on Aug. 27.
Witt began his law enforcement
career in 1975 as a telecommunication/
radio operator for the Walnut
Ridge Police Department. In 1983
Dave Garrison, a 23-year veteran of
the Iowa DPS, was appointed colonel
of the Iowa State Patrol on Nov. 1.
Garrison’s lengthy experience in
the field includes serving as a road
trooper in southwest Iowa and later as
a trooper pilot in Des Moines. He has
served in numerous roles, including
the department’s public information
officer, commander of the ISP Vehicle
he was appointed chief deputy for
the Lawrence County Sheriff’s
Department and one year later was
elected sheriff.
He became a Arkansas state trooper
in 1985 and served 27 years with the
department, including seven years
in Highway Patrol, 15 years in the
Criminal Investigation Division, and
five years assigned to headquarters
administration. He was named the
Administrative Services Division
commander earlier in 2012.
He
attended
Black
River
Technical College and Arkansas
State University.
Iowa State Patrol
Theft Unit, governor’s security
detail, district commander for the
Capitol complex, and most recently
in the department’s Professional
Standards Bureau.
Garrison, 51, completed Drake
University’s
Certified
Public
Manager’s course, Northwestern
University’s School of Police Staff
and Command, and the International
Association of Chiefs of Police
Leadership in Police Organizations
training course.
Col. Patrick J. Hoye, former director
of the ISP, was named head of the Iowa
Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau.
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Garrison
Winter 2013
Paying tribute for the ultimate sacrifice
AAST pays tribute to the troopers recently killed in the line of duty.
We honor those who have given their lives in service to their departments and their community.
AAST was proud to make a donation from its Brotherhood Assistance fund to the surviving families of these troopers.
Tpr. Blake Coble, 47,
of the Pennsylvania State
Police was killed just after
10 a.m. on Oct. 4 when
his patrol car collided
with a tractor trailer at
an intersection in South
Beaver Township.
According to reports, his patrol car was
struck after the semi ran a stop sign at a
high rate of speed. Coble was transported
to a local hospital where he succumbed to
his injuries.
Coble, who was preparing for retirement,
Sgt. Paul Hernandez, 67, of the Texas
Highway Patrol died Oct. 4 after collapsing during physical readiness testing at
the DPS regional office in San Antonio.
Hernandez had been with the DPS for
more than 35 years, serving in the Highway
Patrol Division, Driver License Division,
and Criminal Law Enforcement Division
(now Criminal Investigations Division)
Coble
Texas
Pennsylvania
had served with the PSP for 24 years and
was assigned to Troop D, Beaver Station. He
is survived by his wife and two children. His
wife serves as a dispatcher for the agency.
during his career.
He is survived by his
wife and son.
Hernandez
Tpr. Andrew D. Fox, 27,
of the Virginia State Police
was killed Oct. 5, when
he was struck by a Jeep
Cherokee while directing
traffic in Hanover County
on special assignment at the
Fox
state fair. Fox was wearing
his reflective traffic safety vest and was
using his issued illuminated baton flashlight
to direct traffic through the intersection.
Troopers and bystanders lifted the SUV
off the trooper and immediately began
administering CPR. Fox was transported to
a local hospital where he succumbed to his
injuries. No one in the Cherokee was injured
in the crash. The driver was an adult female
with a juvenile passenger. Alcohol was not a
Virginia
factor in the crash.
Fox graduated February 2007 from the
VSP Academy and at the time of his death
was assigned to Pulaski County. He is
survived by his wife, parents, and siblings.
Relics from the Road
First SRT trains
The Kentucky State Police’s first
Special Response Team gathered
in 1981 for training in London, Ky.
Team members, left to right: Tpr.
Bruce Hatfield, team leader Sgt. Allen
Scharf, and Tprs. David Dick, Ronnie
Turner, Eddie Peirce, G.A. Tomlinson,
Bill Stewart, Mike Faulconer, Cletus
Brown, and Roland Huckabee.
AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013___________________________________________________________________________ 17
Humor on the Highways
Funny photos on Washington Roads
Troopers see
all types of odd
and funny things
on the road, and
this
quarter’s
Humor on the
Highways hails
from the state of
Washington, with
two funny photos
that made their
way around the
country via social
media sites.
Sgt. Bill Ashcraft, Washington State Patrol
K-9 Division, recently stopped this motorcycle on SR-16 in Kitsap
County. The dog was standing on the rear seat, with no support
whatsoever! The driver had driven about seven miles on the freeway at freeway speeds before being stopped by the trooper. This
was obviously not the dog’s first ride; he appeared to be enjoying
himself, and his tremendous balance indicated he had experience.
The trooper cited the driver for transporting the animal in an unsafe
manner, but was generous by allowing the driver push the vehicle to a
parking lot rather than impound the bike, as is usually done by WSP
troopers when the driver has no endorsement or permit.
In the other photo, a cow fell out of a moving trailer on SR-3 in
Kitsap County, Wash., and was running down the roadway. After
much effort the stubborn beef was corralled by law enforcement and
helpful motorists. The cow was slightly injured and had been on the
way to the slaughterhouse when the incident happened.
Both photos were shared on Twitter and quickly picked up by
media nationwide.
Send your humorous on-the-job story (300 words max), along with your
photo, for consideration in the Trooper Connection newsletter:
[email protected] or by mail:
AAST
Humor on the Highways
1949 Raymond Diehl Rd.
Tallahassee, FL 32308
JOIN US TODAY!
AAST invites all active and retired troopers to join AAST and receive valuable benefits and services.
AAST offers four categories of membership:
Active Trooper Member - $75 per year
Retired Trooper Member I - $75 per year
Honorable Service Member - $75 per year
Full-time currently active troopers and state police officers
•AAST ID Card
•Insurance Package (after six-month waiting period)
•$5,000 term life insurance
•$5,000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit
•$5,000 line of duty benefit
•$5,000 seatbelt benefit
•$5,000 airbag benefit
•Accidental Death and Dismemberment Family Benefits
Package
•MedEx Travel Assistance Program
•Up to $2,500 in scholarships for trooper members’
qualifying dependents
•Trooper Connection newsletter
Retired troopers and state police officers
Application for this category must be received by AAST
within 12 months of your official retirement date. Those who
have been retired more than 12 months qualify for membership in the Retired Trooper Member II category.
•AAST ID Card
•Insurance Package (after six-month waiting period)
•$5,000 term life insurance
•$5,000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit
•$5,000 seatbelt benefit
•$5,000 airbag benefit
•Accidental Death and Dismemberment Family
Benefits Package
•MedEx Travel Assistance Program
•Up to $2,500 in scholarships for trooper members’
qualifying dependents
•Trooper Connection newsletter
•Special optional vision insurance benefit
Former troopers with at least 10 years of honorable service
Application must be received by AAST within 12 months
of leaving employment.
•AAST ID Card
•Insurance Package (after six-month waiting period)
•$5,000 term life insurance
•$5,000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit
•$5,000 seatbelt benefit
•$5,000 airbag benefit
•Accidental Death and Dismemberment Family
Benefits Package
•MedEx Travel Assistance Program
•Up to $2,500 in scholarships for trooper members’
qualifying dependents
•Trooper Connection newsletter
AAST is a not-for-profit organization and is not a union. It is a fraternal-type organization providing camaraderie
and needed supplemental benefits to help improve troopers’ lives.
For more information call 1-800-765-5456 (ext. 204) or visit www.statetroopers.org
Benefits are reviewed periodically by the National Board of Directors and are subject to change without notice.
Retired Trooper Member II - $35 per year
Retired troopers and state police officers who have been
retired more than 12 months
•AAST ID Card
•Up to $2,500 in scholarships for trooper members’
qualifying dependents
•Trooper Connection newsletter
18A�������������������������������������������������������������������������� AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013
American
Association
S
tate
T
of
roopers, INC.
American Association of State Troopers, Inc.
Membership Application
To be considered for membership, application must be received by AAST within 12 months of your official retirement date.
To be considered for membership, application must be received by AAST within 12 months of leaving employment.
Retired for more than 12 months. No insurance benefit offered in this category.
1949 Raymond Diehl Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308 • (800) 765-5456 • FAX (850) 385-8697 • www.statetroopers.org
AAST Trooper Connection
Winter 2013___________________________________________________________________________ 19
American
Association
S
tate
T
of
roopers, INC.
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MILWAUKEE, WI
PERMIT NO. 5654
1949 Raymond Diehl Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
AAST wishes you a safe and prosperous 2013!
Troopers
among elite
FBINA group
The 268 members of the 250th
session of the FBI National Academy graduated Sept. 21 after 10
weeks of training. Eighteen state
troopers and state police officers
were among the graduates of the
prestigious program. The state
troopers included, front row, left
to right: Marc W. McHenry, Alabama State Troopers; Bill Reese,
Idaho State Police; Karen Dewitt, Washington State Patrol; Tim Weese, West Virginia State Police; George Anderson, Arizona Department of Public Safety; and
Jarrett Ramsey, Tennessee Highway Patrol. Back row, left to right: Ed Bednarz, Connecticut State Police; Keith Edgell, Montana Highway Patrol; Brent Johnson,
Indiana State Police; Scott Donn, New York State Police; Todd “Chip” Garr, California Highway Patrol; Kevin Marce, Louisiana State Police; Sean Cormier, Illinois
State Police; Tom Kish, Michigan State Police; Mark Perry, Georgia State Patrol; Dale Hinz, Michigan State Police; Joe Geleta, New Jersey State Police; and Ed Hoke,
Pennsylvania State Police.