Oklahoma Highway Patrol - Train Like a Trooper Podcast

Join hosts Sarah Stewart and Trooper Eric Foster as they interview Troopers Trevor Flanagan and Amy Cobalt, two of the counselors at this year's Cadet Lawman camp. Cadet Lawman is a free week-long camp for kids in between their junior and senior years of high school, sponsored by OHP, Oklahoma State Troopers Association and Oklahoma Elks Major Projects. The cadets learn everything about OHP and gets hands on experience driving patrol vehicles, flying in OHP aircraft and riding in OHP boats.

In this episode of Train Like a Trooper, hosts Sarah Stewart and Trooper Eric Foster visit with an Oklahoma Department of Transportation superintendent about work zone safety. Hear about the close calls and tragedies he's witnessed over the years and the advice he has for motorists in these areas where extra precautions need to be taken.

Join hosts Sarah Stewart and Trooper Eric Foster as they speak with Kathy "Doc" Thomas. Dr. Thomas has been involved with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for more than twenty years, ensuring Troopers and their families have a way to deal with the stresses of the job. Hear about the history of mental wellness in law enforcement in Oklahoma and how one critical incident in 1995 changed the way the Patrol treated mental wellness.

Join hosts Sarah Stewart and Trooper Eric Foster as they talk to Trooper BJ Keeling, a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and the DRE coordinator for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. In this episode, they discuss summer impaired driving ahead of the kickoff to the summertime season, Memorial Day weekend. Hear how the Oklahoma Highway Patrol is actively working to prevent and detect impaired driving to keep everyone safe on the roads this summer, especially around our state's lakes.

Join us as we talk to Captain Gary Vinson, who is the commander over the OHP Honor Guard. Capt. Vinson talks about the rich history of the Honor Guard and the importance of their role in honoring retired and active troopers.

On this anniversary of the devastating tornado of May 3, 1999, retired troopers Craig Medcalf, Corey Miner and Charlie Samples take time to remember their experiences on that day. Join us as they recall the devastating things they saw, the people they rescued and the Oklahoma standard they witnessed. These retired troopers also talk about lessons learned and how it’s affected training for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

April is Women’s History Month, and on this week’s podcast, hear from one the Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s women history makers. Trooper Lateka Alexander is the first, and at this time only, black female Oklahoma trooper. Hosts Sarah Stewart and Trooper Eric Foster talk to Trooper Alexander about why she pursued a career with the OHP, and what her almost 20-year experience has been like.

Join hosts Sarah Stewart and Trooper Eric Foster as we look back 26 years ago on this day when the unthinkable happened in the heart of Oklahoma City – the Murrah Federal Building bombing. We talk to Lieutenant Larry Saxon and Lieutenant Mike Roe, two troopers who were some of the first on scene that day and are still with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol today. Hear what they experienced that day and how it’s affected their careers and lives.

Join hosts Sarah Stewart and Trooper Eric Foster as they talk about the vital lifeline to Troopers in the field, dispatch. Communications Lieutenant Katie White and Communications Sergeant Renee Martinez discuss their very different backgrounds and how they got started with OHP Communications. Hear stories of trials and triumphs as they discuss why dispatchers are incredibly important to the Patrol.

Join Trooper BJ Keeling, a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and the DRE coordinator for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol as he talks with host Sarah Stewart and Trooper Eric Foster about the DRE program and why it's so important to Oklahoma. DREs are highly trained law enforcement officers who can recognize the signs of impairment beyond the basics. These officers, deputies, and troopers are vital to stopping impaired driving in Oklahoma.