Paul A. Pride

When Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Paul A. Pride speaks to a school audience, he often thinks back to the formative years he spent in Franklin Local (Muskingum). ”Mrs. Donna White was the first teacher that I remember making me think, ‘I could really make something of myself,’” Pride said. “(She) was my fourth- and later my sixth-grade teacher. “Many of my teachers poured themselves into me and spoke words of encouragement into my life. My schoolwork was monitored closely by my parents and report cards were normally a good experience for me … and I still managed a B average. Had I applied myself like I was being encouraged, my grades would have been significantly better.”  Pride graduated from Franklin Local’s Philo High School in 1979 and earned a degree from Ohio University. He served seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining the Ohio State Highway Patrol in 1989 as a member of the 118th academy class. Pride received his commission in November of that year and was assigned to the Marietta post, where he received the Superintendent’s Citation of Merit Award in 1990. Two years later, he was named post and district Trooper of the Year. In 1996, Pride was promoted to sergeant and transferred to the Jackson post as assistant post commander. As a sergeant, he also served at the Marietta and Gallipolis posts. In 2000, he was promoted to lieutenant and served as the Jackson post commander. In 2002, he was promoted to staff lieutenant and transferred to Jackson district headquarters to serve as the assistant district commander. Pride moved up to the rank of captain and transferred to Cambridge district headquarters to serve as the district commander in 2006. A year later he transferred to serve as commander of the Jackson district. In 2011, he became Maj. Pride and served as commander of the patrol’s Office of Special Operations in Columbus. He was promoted to the second-highest rank of lieutenant colonel in 2012 and served as an assistant superintendent. During his career, Pride completed Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command at the FBI’s National Academy and its National Executive Institute in Quantico, Va. In 2013, Pride was appointed as the18th superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Throughout his career, his vision for criminal patrol efforts has been integral to the program’s success. His direction to troopers has always been: Stop cars, talk to people, sell traffic safety and look beyond the original reason for the traffic stop for signs of criminal activity. A 27-year veteran of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Pride is married with two adult children and two grandchildren. In another example of how he has given to his community, he was an assistant high school wrestling coach for several years.