Missouri State Highway Patrol celebrates 75 years of service

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- For the past 75 years, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has dedicated itself to helping protect the citizens of our state.

In honor of that anniversary, the Troop E Headquarters will host an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the headquarters on Highway 67, just north of Poplar Bluff.

"Troop E was one of the original troops created by Gov. Caulfield in 1931," said Troop E Public Information Officer Sgt. Dale H. Moreland of Dexter. "We are going to have several displays and demonstrations that will showcase the patrol."

Those demonstration will include a 1959 Dodge patrol car, a helicopter, canine demonstrations, the roll-over simulator and the seat belt convincer.

"There will be many other vehicles and displays from the Patrol's different divisions," Moreland continued. "McGruff the Crime Dog will also be present during the event."

Refreshments will be provided courtesy of the patrol and parking will also be provided. There will be several special anniversary items availble for purchase by the public.

"I would like to thank the public for their support over the past 75 years," said Troop E Commanding Officer Captain George E. Ridens. "We look forward to continued service to Southeast Missouri and please feel free to stop in at our headquarters and help us celebrate."

According to Cheryl D. Cobb, staff writer for the MSHP, Governor Arthur Mastick Hyde was the first elected state official to speak publicly about law enforcement reform. In his first biennial message, in January 1923, he outlined needs of the state. His concerns included the soaring number of arson cases, and the infrequent arrests and convictions. This led to significantly increased insurance premiums for Missourians. He spoke of the importance of enforcing every law, namely the Volstead Act regarding prohibition, regardless of public opinion. He noted the mounting game law violations, also. He considered the National Guard, the only force available when confronting riots or disturbances, "cumbersome and unbearably expensive". Last, he pointed to the improvements made to Missouri roadways as a reason for better law enforcement.

Yet, more than eight years would pass before Governor Henry S. Caulfield signed Senate Bill 36 on April 24, 1931, establishing the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Several bills had been introduced between 1923 and 1931, but all had failed. Senate Bill 36 was amended several times during the process and not everyone was in favor. Organized labor was opposed, fearful that the new agency would be used to break strikes as had been done in other states. Labor, however, did not oppose a Patrol which had jurisdiction over motor vehicle enforcement. County sheriffs feared it would infringe on their authority. Some were afraid the agency would focus on enforcing prohibition.

Strong supporters of the bill included Governor Caulfield, Attorney General Stratten Shartel, the Automobile Club of Missouri, the Missouri State Highway Commission, the Missouri Banker's Association, and a majority of metropolitan newspapers.

The act creating the Missouri State Highway Patrol became effective on September 14, 1931. The bill provided for a superintendent who would serve at the pleasure of the governor, 10 captains, and 115 patrolmen. Lewis Ellis of Bethany became the first superintendent on July 21, 1931. Because sufficient funds were not appropriated, only 55 men were chosen.

From those humble beginnings, the Patrol would grow from six troop headquarters to nine; from 55 uniformed members to 1,012 officers plus 110 officers authorized for the Gaming Division. The General Headquarters of the Patrol would eventually have its own building, in 1962, after being in various state office buildings. Today, the superintendent is a man who has been a member of the Patrol for over 31 years. Colonel Roger D. Stottlemyre worked as a road trooper, zone sergeant, troop lieutenant, troop commander, and major of the Field Operations Bureau before being appointed superintendent in 2001.

"This year the Missouri State Highway Patrol is celebrating 75 years of serving and protecting the citizens of Missouri and those who travel through our great state," said Colonel Roger D. Stottlemyre, superintendent of the Patrol, "When the Patrol was formed in 1931, a statement was made by then-Missouri Attorney General Stratton Shartel that the state had no more important duty than to protect life and property. Missouri's Highway Patrol has proudly performed that duty from day one, and is prepared to provide excellence in law enforcement into the future."

The Patrol's Criminal Laboratory opened in May 1936. The laboratory was first housed in two rooms within the Broadway State Office Building. It is one of the first state crime laboratories in the country, and the FBI Laboratory was only a few years old then. In 1963, the laboratory moved into 4,000 square feet of space in the basement of General Headquarters on Elm Street. It moved again in October 1979, to 11,000 square feet of the Annex building. Today, it fills nearly 20,000 square feet in that same building. Satellite laboratories are an important part of the Crime Laboratory system, and have been set up in Troops B, C, D, G, and H.

Since its creation, the Patrol's Crime Laboratory has accepted submissions from any Missouri law enforcement agency at no charge. According to a biennial report of the Patrol, the laboratory worked 230 cases in 1937-1938. Criminal case submissions to the laboratory have grown to 19,153 cases in 2005. All of the laboratory employees were uniformed members until the 1960s, when two chemists were hired. They performed chemical, ballistic, microscopic, casting, fingerprint, and questioned documents tests. Currently, there is only one uniformed member in the Crime Laboratory Division--the division's director. The remaining 70 employees are civilian, including criminalists, who specialize in their area of the laboratory, and support staff.

Today's criminalists examine DNA, toxicology, and drug chemistry, as well as firearms, tool marks, fingerprints, and trace evidence. Since its inception, Crime Laboratory employees have testified in court as to their findings. Last year, laboratory personnel spent a total of 441 days testifying to the results of their casework.

In 1931, troopers communicated to the troop by telephone. Each trooper established a system of service stations, restaurants, and other businesses as key contact points. Troop headquarters would leave messages regarding where the trooper's assistance was needed.  Over the next few years, communications would improve with the installation of standard public broadcast receivers in cars and a teletype system to transmit messages from General Headquarters to the troops. The state-owned radio station, WOS, located in the Capitol was placed at the Patrol's disposal. Radios in the cars were tuned to that station to receive information or instructions. The call letters WOS stood for Watch Our State. A radio-teletype transmitter at GHQ enabled the Patrol to communicate with other police agencies in the state beginning in 1936.

The Patrol hired Mr. Harry W. Duncan in 1937, the first radio operator of the newly organized communications division. "They started training in the dome of the Capitol. Originally, the radio station WOS was up there. We tried to be very professional. If someone pronounced a word wrong, we told him. The training was setting up fake radio equipment, making broadcasts, and critiquing them later. We had to know the county names, county seats, and the highway names," said Duncan, in an April 2005 interview. "When we started, we had three radiomen at each troop. We had six stations at that time. If anyone took a day off, the other two had to work 12-hour shifts! I'd say that went on for three years. As money was appropriated, they hired more operators."

Today, each of the nine troops' communications centers is a 24-hour operation and technologically advanced. Every car has a radio; every trooper has an extender for use when he is outside his vehicle. Communication flows steadily between troop headquarters and each officer. LOKI, a software program, tells communications employees the location of each patrol car. Computer-aided dispatch tracks all calls received at troop headquarters. An emergency alert system for communities is located in each troop. Registrations that used to be included in large books and checked by hand, are now available through the MULES system, which allows for a computer check of licenses, criminal records, warrants, etc. 

In 1942, the operation of Missouri's weigh stations was assumed from the Highway Department. Today, commercial vehicle officers around the state make our roads safer by ensuring the commercial vehicles traveling through Missouri comply with safety laws. In addition to inspecting and weighing trucks, commercial vehicle officers have proven they are on the front lines of removing illegal drugs from our highways. In 2005, their skills led to the seizure of 9,992 pounds of marijuana and 15 kilos of cocaine.

The Patrol ability regarding drug interdiction is well documented. Each year, the Patrol joins in a cooperative effort with sheriff's departments and the Missouri National Guard for the Marijuana Eradication Program. Preliminary 2005 statistics indicate this program destroyed over 10,000 cultivated marijuana plants, over 4.5 million wild marijuana plants, and 110 pounds of processed marijuana. In addition, there were 395 state arrests and 29 federal arrests, 128 firearms and over $250, 000 in cash seized.

Troopers looking beyond the initial reason for a traffic stop often locate illegal drugs. During 2005, preliminary statistics indicate over 15,000 pounds of marijuana was removed from Missouri's roadways, along with 342 pounds of cocaine, 55 pounds of ecstasy (over 80,000 pills), and small amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, psychedelic mushrooms, and PCP. Troopers seized over $2.4 million in cash, too.

For the last several years, Missouri has ranked number one in the nation regarding the seizing of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. A new law in Missouri requires the sales of over-the-counter drugs used in the production of methamphetamine to be monitored. This law has resulted in approximately a 45 percent drop in clandestine meth laboratory incidents. This decrease is a direct result of the cooperation between the Department of Public Safety, the Missouri Legislature, and the Missouri Governor's Office.

Missouri's Legislature tasked the Patrol with implementing the driver's license examination program in 1952. Members originally filled the examiner position, with civilians taking over the responsibility in 1955. For the past 56 years, the Patrol has provided this valuable service.

"The CDL program started with a written test in January 1990. The driving skills portion of the test began in July 1990. We didn't have any sites available to administer the skills test initially, due to the amount of space needed for the commercial vehicle ...," said retired Senior Chief Driver Examiner Dale P. Shikles in a 2005 interview. "The CDL program is one of the best changes in the history of the driver testing program.  It is a much more effective way to ensure drivers have the minimum driving skills to operate large trucks and buses."

The year 1968 found the Patrol accepting the responsibilities of a motor vehicle inspection program. The Patrol has been responsible for investigating stations and dealers to determine if they are qualified, giving written and practical examinations to prospective inspector-mechanics, and periodically checking stations to ensure they are following inspection guidelines. A vital school bus inspection program checks the transportation used by thousands of Missouri's children. The work of Patrol motor vehicle inspectors has helped make our roads safer through the years.

The Patrol has 75 years of tradition, yet it must look to the future. Advances in technology continue to make law enforcement more effective. Laboratory tests, fingerprinting methods and databases, and investigative skills are only a few areas where improvement is made continually. 

The agency continues its efforts to recruit the best possible candidates for every position--uniformed or civilian--with a focus on minority recruiting, in an effort to represent all of the citizens it serves. The Patrol takes seriously its core values of Integrity, Responsibility, Respect, Professionalism, Compassion, Resourcefulness, Character, and Commitment when screening candidates.

"It is an honor to serve and protect the people of Missouri," said Colonel Roger D. Stottlemyre. "We respect those who came before us and the foundation they've laid. Every day, employees of the Missouri State Highway Patrol will continue to build upon these great traditions."

For more information, contact Moreland at 573-840-9500.

Sacha Champion may be reached via email at schampion@dailystatesman.com