Abuse of Power: Growing concern about Ohio State Highway Patrol

In the span of time it took for it to be revealed that Ohio State Highway Patrol bureaucrats improperly used $41,000 of tax money to buy an antique car, and that action was necessary to suspend or fire no less than TEN troopers for violations of various laws and policies, ZERO troopers were killed by law-abiding citizens with concealed firearms.

In recent weeks, we've told you about:

Trooper DeLong: Slept while on duty guarding Statehouse, failed to qualify with her firearm, now under investigation for use of excessive force in minor traffic stop

Trooper Burd: Fired from his job for conduct unbecoming an officer (bar fight)

Trooper Sullivan: Fired for untruthfulness and conduct unbecoming an officer

NEW this week:

Troopers Ryan & Huff fired, Troopers Escola, Slezak, Brindley, & Betts reprimanded: for conspiring to prevent attorney and former state representative from meeting with his client. (See also: Entrapment.)

It is these kinds of examples of abuses of power, and of a lack of respect for the law-abiding citizens of Ohio, that has many wondering why our governor (and Senate leaders who are enabling him) is ensuring that when it comes to reforming the state's concealed carry laws, the buck stops with a few unelected state employees at the OSHP.

Talk about your inappropriate involvement by a special interest lobbying group...

The Ohio State Highway Patrol employs under 1500 troopers, which have, to our knowledge, never been polled on their opinion regarding concealed carry reform. The OSHP has law enforcement jurisdiction only on Ohio's state roads and interstate highways.

Yet because of the lack of political leadership in the Ohio Senate, or in the Governor's office, the fate of Ohioans who want to exercise their constitutional right to self-defense lies at the feet of OSHP Superintendent Col. Paul D. McClellan.

McClellan and his yes-men, such as Capt. John Born, are refusing to budge on their insistence that that guns carried in cars be kept "in plain sight", and that parents may not protect their minor children from violent attack.

We've asked this before, and it deserves to be asked again: Should we judge the Ohio State Highway Patrol by these troopers' behavior? Would it be altogether right for us to judge that because of these troopers' failures, all Ohio trooper's right to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense (which they have now, unlike you), should be removed?

Of course, the answer is no. And the Ohio Highway Patrol certainly would agree with that answer. So why, then, do they continue to judge Ohio's law-abiding citizens in this manner? Why do they punish us all, for fear of indiscretion by a few?

Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendant Paul McClellan says there is no statistical or anecdotal evidence that allowing citizens to carry firearms in their cars will reduce crime or protect the innocent. We have proven that false time and again.

But aside from that debate, one thing IS clear - from Trooper Sullivan to Trooper DeLong to Trooper Burd, and from Trooper Ryan to Trooper Huff, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that OSHP troopers should not be held on a pedestal above other law-abiding citizens.

Recent stories on the OSHP:

OSHP Press Release: Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendant Paul McClellan says there is no statistical or anecdotal evidence that allowing citizens to carry firearms in their cars will reduce crime or protect the innocent.

The evidence OSHP Superintendant Paul McClellan can't find

Open Letter to OSHP Superintendant Paul McClellan: You Can't Have it Both Ways

Patrol testifies against allowing loaded weapons in vehicles

Sheriffs warn of apparent desire to turn Highway Patrol into State Police