The Ohio State Highway Patrol does more than just make traffic stops, said Lt. Brian Aller, Springfield Post commander.
Troopers are trained to look for signs of illegal activity during a stop, he said. Through a probable cause search of a driver and vehicle, troopers have found hundreds of felony-level criminal offenses this year.
“Whether it be drugs or gun-related,” Aller said.
Major highways like Interstate 70, Ohio 235 and Ohio 41 are routes drugs travel in and out of the county, law enforcement officials from across the county have said.
Aller oversees 20 troopers who enforce traffic laws and make stops in Clark and Champaign counties. He’s happy with the increased enforcement of drug and weapons cases his staff has made this year.
The Springfield post doesn’t have a K-9 officer, Aller said, but his trooper in recent months have recorded more drug arrests than other state patrol district posts that have dogs.
“We can do better, I’m always wanting better,” he said.
Earlier this month the state patrol made headlines when a traffic stop in northern Ohio led to a seizure of 263 pounds of marijuana, valued at more than $596,000.
Along with trafficking, Aller said, he aims to get impaired drivers off county roadways.
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So far this year there have been nine fatal crashes in Clark County. Of those, three allegedly involved drivers who were on drugs, Aller said, including marijuana and hydrocodone pills.
In two of the fatal crashes allegedly involving drug-impaired drivers, the person behind the wheel also had alcohol in their system.
In Champaign County three drivers allegedly were also on drugs in eight of the county’s fatal crashes this year, according to OSP data.
Toxicology results from fatal crashes in both counties are still pending, Aller said, and the number of drug and alcohol-impaired crashes could go up.
Some residents in Clark and Champaign counties have called troopers to try to report drug trafficking or impaired drivers, Aller said.
If tipsters can give information, such as a vehicle make and model, or even a license plate number, it can help troopers stop those drivers, he said.
“It’s something that will help (troopers) and help the community as well to get that stuff off the street,” Aller said.
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