The State Highway Patrol of Ohio has used all manner of interesting vehicles for pursuit duty over the years. Here’s a quick historical survey.
If you travel the nation’s thoroughfares and you like to travel faster than the posted speed limits, chances are you’ve already met the fine folks of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The speed laws on the Buckeye State’s principal roads are as effectively policed as any in the nation, and if you attempt to test the officers’ vigilance, they will be happy to drain your wallet for you. Ohio’s major routes, including Interstate 75 and the Ohio Turnpike, are especially well patrolled. We advise setting the cruise control at a legally prudent rate and simply enjoying the scenery.
Here we’re featuring the patrol cars of the State Highway Patrol, not to dredge up any unpleasant memories among our readers, but because the agency has employed some interesting rolling stock through the years. Founded in 1934, the Patrol has a rich automotive history. Let’s have a look.
When the organization was chartered back in ’34, the Highway Patrol name was chosen in part to avoid then-unpopular connotations with state police forces. A winged-wheel door logo, known to officers as the “flying wheel,” was adopted, which the agency employs to this day. As the fastest low-priced cars on the road at the time, Fords were the popular choice for patrol duty. This 1938 DeLuxe Tudor is shown with the patrolman’s traveling gear, including ax, shotgun, gas, oil, and lantern.
The State Patrol lettering and flying wheel logo proudly fill the entire door on the 1949 Ford Tudor. Note the twin spotlights and flasher-siren mounted on the leading edge of the roof. Black was the color of choice for the first several decades of the Patrol’s existence, while graphics were often applied in a light-reflecting material.
Fords weren’t the only choice for patrol duty in the 1950s. The state also used Chevrolets, Plymouths, Kaisers, and Hudsons, like this 1954 Hornet coupe powered by a muscular 308 CID inline six, the scourge of NASCAR at the time.
From the 1930s through the 1950s, the Highway Patrol fleet often included a few convertibles, like this 1957 Ford Fairlane Sunliner. We’re guessing the ragtops were tabbed mainly for public relations and parade duty.
Check out the oversize tires and muscular stance on this 1960 Chevrolet Biscayne pursuit car. The crossed flags in the grille badge signify there’s a big 348 CID V8 under the hood. The special high-performance, heavy-duty police packages offered by the automakers to law-enforcement agencies were coming into their own.
In 1966, we’re told, the Patrol first adopted white cars due to their greater visibility, though black units remained in the fleet through 1970. This ’66 Ford Custom two-door sedan boasts the 390 CID Police Interceptor V8, a stout powerplant in its day.
By the early ’70s, the Patrol was making the switch from two-door coupes to four-door sedans like this 1972 Plymouth Fury. With their “cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks,” in the words of Elwood Blues in The Blues Brothers, these big 440 CID Mopars were favorites for law enforcement use.
Here’s a classic look in law enforcement, the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria. Equipped with the P71 police package, the Crown Vic may well be the most beloved police cruiser in law enforcement history. Used all through the ’90s, these Vics were known as “Gray Ghosts” among Ohio state patrolmen for their subtle metallic paint.
The current state of the art in police cruisers is represented by this 2015 Dodge Charger equipped with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Pursuit Police Package. In recent years, the Ohio Patrol has also used the Chevrolet Tahoe and Impala and the Dodge Durango.
Photos courtesy of the Ohio State Highway Patrol on Facebook.
Every car crazed kid was fascinated by police cars, which were often looked upon as factory hotrods with four doors, especially intriguing when they had subtle (?) words like “Pursuit” or “Interceptor” in small letters. Good stuff! Thanks.
If the Crown Vics are considered the most beloved police cruisers, it may be because some of the officers are too young to have driven a 440 Mopar!!! 🙂
Ohio was without a doubt, the toughest ( for me) state to drive a truck through. They had more cops than any other state. ( it seemed) While I thought the 5.0 Mustangs were the coolest state patrol cars, ( as long as they weren’t in your rear view mirror) Ohio didn’t use them. They did, however, use Camaro’s for a short time. http://www.sspcentral.com/chevy/ohio_state_highway_patrol_camaro.shtml
Never had any interaction with the troopers in Ohio. Virginia is a tough place to get through. The last Virginia public servant I spoke to suggested that if I didn’t want a ticket, that I shouldn’t pass a patrol car. I responded that if they didn’t want the extra income, they shouldn’t be driving unmarked cars under the limit in the passing lane.
Interesting feature but a bit bittersweet for me. I have probably personally funded a cruiser or two over the years…
Always had to watch my P’s and Q’s when I was in Ohio……those guys were everywhere, and 2 mph over and they would write you up. They finally joined the rest of the county with the sanity of common speed limits for all vehicles and raised the limits to match the other states around them.
Until they had no choice, many Highway Patrols/State Police favored 2 door coupes for pursuit work – lower weight, cost, and they were less likely to need to transport miscreants. But Ford and Chevy dropped full size coupes after ’69 and Plymouth after ’71 – most likely they stayed in due to their overwhelming lead in fleet sales. As an interesting aside, the ’70 Gran Coupe was literally that – a Fury I coupe with a luxury interior. One wonders if a big fleet deal fell through after they made the bodies…
Preparing for a Skip Barber Drivers School I had bought a new pair of fireproof driving shoes and thought I would break them in on a trip East. Crossing Ohio on the Turnpike in my Signal Red Jaguar XJS (Yeah, I know) I was stopped (I was only doing around 90). First thing the LEO said when I stepped out of the car: “Nice shoes!”
The sheriff’s department I served for a few years had a pair of Fords with the 390/330 Police Interceptor. I loved them (except for the gas mileage when transporting prisoners long distances.) They had a huge four-barrel carburetor, solid lifters and factory headers. Shift points on the 3-speed automatic were at about 50 and 102. Only the later Mopar 440s could really top them, because the Chevy 409s couldn’t keep valves in them.
I drove Black, White and Gray ones before I retired in 1997
The Ohio State Highway Patrol began in 1933. The 1st Academy Class graduated on November15th, 1933. Sixty men graduated and we’re assigned to the posts throughout Ohio. Talking about traffic citations, the very first one was written by a Patrolman from Post 7 (Belmont County) for Reckless Operation…some eighty-three years ago!
They are a great group, although I have had a few veteran troopers tell me that, when they get new guys from the Academy, it takes a while to “de-nazify” them. 🙂
I have known a number of superintendents and right down the line, including a couple of O.W. Merrill Award winners. Good guys.