OSHP's traffic enforcement yields felony arrests

COLUMBUS — Through effective traffic enforcement, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is significantly impacting the criminal element on the state's public roadways and in communities, according to patrol officials.

In 2011, state troopers made 3,573 felony traffic stops. Of these stops, 74 percent involved a trooper “looking beyond the license plate” to detect criminal activity and making a felony arrest. The other 26 percent are attributed to a felony warrant apprehension.

In addition, troopers made 6,137 drug arrests in 2011. Of these arrests, 2,885 were felony arrests — making up 47 percent of total felony arrests for the year.

“Every day our troopers are out on the road taking felons out of our communities,” said Col. John Born, patrol superintendent, in a press release.

Through April of this year, troopers have made 1,407 felony stops. This is a 17 percent increase when compared to the first four months of 2011. Through April 2012, felony stops have occurred most frequently in Franklin County with 156 arrests, Lorain County with 59 arrests, Fairfield County with 51 arrests and Cuyahoga County with 50 arrests.