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Montpelier Rotary Hears From Ohio State Highway Patrol 2011-09-28 / 2011-10-04 / Community
By: Jennifer Johnson
GUEST SPEAKER ... Pat Weber is pictured with Sergeant George Jutze, who personally knocked on her door a year ago to inform of her husband’s accident. She wanted him to come share what his job entailsMontpelier Rotary inducted another member, Rachel Sostoi, to their chapter on September 19th, 2011. She was sponsored by her father, Marty Sostoi, and joins millions of Americans as a member of this club. Barb Fisher announced that 20/20 Plastics have donated $1000 towards the shelter house project at Montpelier’s Main Street Park.
Guest speaker of Rotarian Pat Weber was Sergeant George Jutze from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Defiance post. Jutze is originally from Cincinnati Ohio and graduated from the academy in 1984. His first assignment was in Portsmouth, Ohio fresh out of college. He patrolled on US 23 at that time, the highway known as “The road to Ohio.” In December of 1990 he was named the sergeant in Defiance and he’s been there ever since.
Jutze spoke of the 1948 communication technology when he started on the force. He said a lot of times troopers would have to stop at someone’s house to use the telephone to call the office. Now he says communication has made leaps and bounds to improve. Ohio State Highway Patrol along with many other state and local law enforcement agencies use the Marcs System of communication. The Multi-area Regional Communication System is designed for inner operability so that all law enforcement can share information between departments. The system was upgraded in 2001 and has changed procedures and the way things are handled on the road. It allows for more timely responses and updated information on criminals, law breakers, and vehicle accidents.
The big thing now in Ohio is the new casinos going up. The problem is who should be enforcing law at these casinos? It is currently between the Ohio Patrol and BCI, who at this time assist local, county, and state investigations and matters. These kinds of new assignments are changing the face of the Highway Patrol. They handle more than traffic stops. There are currently some 4100 Ohio troopers who deal with computer crime, prison crime, and state location crime, such as parks, rest stops and the like. In all, there are 9 districts of the Highway Patrol in Ohio, plus district 10 dedicated to the Ohio Turnpike. There are 3 patrol posts that cover 70 miles of Turnpike each. These posts make more drug stops on the Turnpike than all other posts in Ohio.
Jutze estimates the cost of a patrol car with all the equipment at $57,000. These cars are loaded with top of the line equipment to assist a trooper in doing the job efficiently. There are capabilities in the car to map every traffic stop and crash, making statistics more accurate and giving troopers a better idea of where to patrol. This also allows troopers to be proactive instead of reactive. Overall Jutze has been through a lot of changes in his career from technology to procedure but loves every minute of it.
Jennifer Johnson may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com
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