SOUTH POINT – Jim Coleman leafed through the scrapbook, chuckling every few pages.

Sunday, June 04, 2000

SOUTH POINT – Jim Coleman leafed through the scrapbook, chuckling every few pages.

"I didn’t know she’d kept some of that stuff," Coleman said, talking about his wife’s habit of saving news clippings, photos and other memories.

After a 20-year career with the Ohio Highway Patrol, the Ironton post commander officially announced his retirement Friday at a celebration where troopers, family and friends honored his longstanding dedication to law enforcement.

Coleman, a Lawrence County native, grew up in the Pedro area.

He began his law enforcement career May 2, 1980, commissioned as an OHP trooper.

He served in Jackson, then as assistant post commander in Hamilton.

Assignments at Wilmington and Ironton followed before he was named as Ironton post commander in 1992.

Coleman attacked his trooper career with diligence, which made it a memorable one, he said.

Memories have been plenty, too – everything from strange traffic stops to a 1984 chase from Ohio 93 to the Berlin crossroads in Jackson County, where police officers finally stopped an armed driver by shooting out his tires.

Coleman doesn’t really call that a close call. There probably have been closer ones, he said.

But you tend to think more about the overall effect of your career, taking the safe and dangerous times together, he said.

"I’ve been successful, but for good reasons."

Coleman credits the most success to his staff of sergeants, troopers, dispatchers and secretaries, as well as the community and family support he has received.

"And I’m leaving one of the proudest things," he said.

In 20 years, Coleman has never taken sick leave.

"When you take this kind of responsibility, you need to take it seriously," Coleman said. "I’ve certainly tried to do a lot for the community and I think I have with my years as post commander."

And Trooper John R. Smith, speaking before a crowd of officers, dispatchers, judges, mayors and friends at Friday’s retirement party, agreed that Coleman has done just that.

"I can remember when Jim first came on the Patrol," Smith said. "Soon after, Jim being from this area, he did come home."

Coleman was named trooper of the year once and district trooper of the year twice, Smith said.

"In his 20-plus years of service, he has done a good job," he said. "I can’t say we’ve always seen eye to eye but he’s always worked to the betterment of the Patrol."

Coleman said he looks forward to retirement, especially spending time with his children and grandchildren, but there are other things he wants to do, not the least of which is running for county commissioner in 2002.

Coleman has thought about entering that political race for two years now, he said.

"I have ideas I’d like to implement," he said. "And I’d like to transfer the success I’ve seen at this post."