Responsibilities
The Commissioner of Public Safety, Chief of the Highway Patrol, and each State Trooper are peace officers of the state. Troopers have the powers and authority vested in all other state peace officers, including the power of search and seizure (except the serving of civil process), the power to investigate and prevent crime, and the general power to enforce the criminal laws of state. As peace officers, the Troopers may arrest any person detected by them violating any law of the State.
In addition to their general police powers, the Legislature has directed that State Troopers have the following specific powers and duties:
- Enforcing all laws regulating the operation of motors vehicles or the use of the State's highways
- Enforcing all laws regulating the operation of watercraft or the use of the State's waterways
- Enforcing all laws regulating the transportation of hazardous materials
- Enforcing all criminal laws on the State's turnpikes
- Enforcing all laws regulating vehicle size and weight restrictions
- Assisting in the location of stolen property
- Assisting in or initiating manhunts or fugitive apprehensions
- Investigating and preventing motor vehicle theft
- Investigating and preventing drug transportation
- Investigating and preventing identification fraud
- Investigating and preventing the use of explosive devices
- Providing protection and security to State officials
- Enforcing and investigating any other law when so directed by the Governor of Oklahoma
Read more about this topic: Oklahoma Highway Patrol