WAPAKONETA, Ohio (WLIO) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol opened its doors to engage with the community on Wednesday.
The Wapakoneta Post on Wapak-Fisher Road partnered with the Piqua Post to hold an open house, allowing community members and residents to stop in and learn more about them. Those who attended could tour the post, learn more about the day-to-day life of a state trooper, and get to know the officers who serve in their communities.
There was also a sign-up sheet for those interested in joining the State Highway Patrol. For Piqua Sergeant Eric Devers, it was a career he didn’t consider early in life, but now, 12 years in, he has no regrets about earning his badge and serving the state of Ohio.
"I grew up on a farm, a dairy farm, pig farm. That's kind of my upbringing. I never really pictured myself as a patrol, but it was somebody that took their time out of their day to be able to speak to me about the patrol and kind of what it would look like. And I would encourage anybody that's, you know, thinking about the patrol, or had kind of thought about law enforcement in the past, if you've not thought about yourself in the career in law enforcement, just picture yourself in the Stetson. Picture yourself what it would look like for you to be a member of the highway patrol. Again, everybody brings intrinsic value, and then we're looking too, for people to bring that intrinsic value and transform their talents into the mold of what a trooper would be and be able to kind of do what I'm doing. Be able to positively engage the community and whatever capacity that may be, whether it's an open house or stopping somebody on the road, whatever the case may be," stated Sergeant Eric Devers, of the Piqua Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Ohio State Highway Patrol, visit statepatrol.ohio.gov to learn more.
