(Cushing, Okla.) “Everyone thinks they know what we do,” Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lieutenant Jeff James told Cushing Lions. “But there are a lot of things we do that might surprise you.”
Lt. James was special guest of Lion Marian Gilkerson. “We met on the side of the road,” Gilkerson said in her introduction.
Just the place one would expect to meet a highway patrolman.
However, it wasn’t a traffic violation that led to their meeting, but it was car problems. The Gilkersons were sitting on the side of the road when Lt. James came to their aid.
Helping people who have had car problems is just one of the many things on the list of things OHP do.
There’s more – protecting people’s lives and property, investigating accidents, searching for lost kids and adults, participating in man hunts, doing lake patrol, and training other officers. There are specific special duty categories such as: Homeland Security, Bomb Squad, Executive Security, Dive Team, TAC Team, Aircraft Division, Drug Interdiction and even Hostage Negotiator.
And that isn’t even the entire list of things!
Lt. James joined the OHP in 1997. He served a year and a half in Osage County and was part of the Governor’s Detail (equivalent to the Secret Service to a President) for Governor Brad Henry.
“I traveled to a lot of places on the detail – Paris, Boston, Washington, D.C.” James said. “But once my son was born I wanted to stop traveling.”
Now, along with his regular duties, Lt James is a member of the OHP dive team.
What advice does he give travelers who may be pulled over by the OHP?
“Pull over as soon as you can – don’t make us chase you! Then wait until the officer instructs you on what to do,” he said. “Sit with your hands on the wheel – we like to see your hands. If you have a weapon in the vehicle, you must state you have one. If you have a license to carry, but do not have one in the vehicle, please let us know that, too.”
For more information about the Oklahoma Highway Patrol go to: www.dps.state.ok.us/ohp/tngrct/ohpweb/index.html
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