Organization
The Highway Patrol, which is an agency of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (DPS), is under the command and direction of the Chief of the Patrol. The Chief is responsible for the DPS Commissioner for the operations, capabilities and plans of the Patrol. The Chief is assisted in managing the Patrol with the help of three Deputy Chiefs.
The Patrol is divided into Troops, or Sections, each headed by a Captain. Each of these Troops has either limited geographic jursidiction or State-wide functional jursidiction with some Troops having law enforcement functions while others have support functions. The thirteen field Troops are the primary the field activities of the Patrol and are where the bulk of the Patrol's Troopers are assigned. These Troops are primarily responsible for the traffic enforcement and vehicle crash investigation along the State's highways. The Turnpike Troops are have the same mission as the Field Troops but have sole jurisdiction over the State's Turnpikes. The Specialized Troops, often called Sections, perform either a specialized law enforcement activity, such as the Lake Patrol Section, or provide support to the various Field Troops. The various Troops and Sections are organized into nine Zones, each headed by a Major. A tenth Major serves as the Patrol's inspector general. The thee Deputy Chiefs have line authority over these ten Majors.
Though an organized unit of the Highway Patrol, the Executive Security Section/Troop EX, which provides protection to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, is not under the operational command of the Patrol Chief. Instead, the Troop answers directly to the DPS Commissioner. The Patrol Chief is responsible for organizing the Troop and ensuring its capabilities.
All State Troopers upon graduation from the Highway Patrol Academy are assigned to one of the thirteen Field Troops for their initial assignment. Such initial assignment is made at the discretion of the Patrol Chief and it not appealable. After their initial assignment is complete, Trooper may request reassignment to another Field Troop to special duty with any of the Patrol's specialized units, such as the Marine Enforcement Section or Capital Patrol Section.
Read more about this topic: Oklahoma Highway Patrol
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