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Oregon State Police Trooper David Randall has been recognized with an exemplary service award for his efforts to bring fresh talent to the state police after the agency received a budget boost to help raise trooper levels.
Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Dave Randall likes being held to high standards.
That's why he joined and stayed in the Marine Corps for five years, he said during a recent interview at OSP's Roseburg office. It's also why he joined OSP more than 10 years ago.
“They have the highest expectations of their people,” said Randall, 47.
Recently he received an award for the high standards he set — and met — in helping to recruit many other troopers into the OSP fold.
Randall, along with Albany-based Trooper Ken Terry, received one of OSP's exemplary service awards in August. The awards recognize some of OSP's best and brightest at award banquets held every two years.
“A harder-working guy I'm not sure I think I've ever met,” said Lt. Doug Ladd, who has supervised Randall for about six years. “He's a great family guy, a real salt-of-the-earth person. He's a 10.”
Randall said applying for the special detail of recruiting new troopers came to him naturally.
“I was always interested in training and going to job fairs,” he said enthusiastically. “I thought (working for the OSP) was and still think it's a great job. Any time you find a nugget like that, it's nice to share it.”
In 1979, 541 state troopers patrolled state highways. By 2007, layoffs had slashed that number to 254, even though the number of vehicles in the state had soared 65 percent in that same time period.
So in 2006, the Legislature upped OSP funding to hire new troopers. Randall and Terry were hired to get the job done.
At first, Randall said he and Terry had a hard time finding qualified applicants, as the economy was so strong.
“We'd just go out to as many job fairs, colleges and military bases as we could,” he recalled. “We talked to as many people as we could.”
Within two years, the dynamic OSP duo had filled 139 new trooper positions. They probably recruited closer to 200 people, Ladd said, if you factor in the vacancies filled as troopers transferred or retired.
Randall and Terry “did splendidly, brilliantly” in their recruiting efforts,” Ladd added. He attributes Randall's success to the fact “he believes deeply in what he's doing.”
Spending time with Randall, that conviction shows. He likes the variety of duties his job offers, he said, from helping at crash scenes to stopping cars hauling illegal drugs to helping out at community events.
He likes the people he works with and the camaraderie he feels, something he said he missed when he left the Marine Corps.
In between the Marine Corps and OSP, Randall spent 10 years as a local parole officer. He believes that helps him appreciate that most of the time now “we're pretty much looking for voluntary compliance ... trying to get (people) to do what's best for them,” like buckling their seat belts, far easier than dealing with “heavy criminals.”
These days, Randall also volunteers for details outside the Roseburg area, including helping with security at Oregon State University football games and serving on the OSP honor guard.
And when he's not cruising state highways in his patrol car, Randall likes tinkering around his home and spending time with his wife, Marie, and their three children.
But he credits much of his interest in extracurricular job duties, as well as his happy work environment, to the leadership of Ladd.
Ladd “not only allows (troopers to take special assignments), he encourages it,” Randall said. “If you're not involved with something extra he's going to ask you to be.”
“He's an outstanding leader. He leads by example,” he continued, noting how Ladd will encourage troopers to read books on leadership too.
“I love this job,” Randall said. “There's no other job I want. I like the people. I work with high-quality people.”
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
That's why he joined and stayed in the Marine Corps for five years, he said during a recent interview at OSP's Roseburg office. It's also why he joined OSP more than 10 years ago.
“They have the highest expectations of their people,” said Randall, 47.
Recently he received an award for the high standards he set — and met — in helping to recruit many other troopers into the OSP fold.
Randall, along with Albany-based Trooper Ken Terry, received one of OSP's exemplary service awards in August. The awards recognize some of OSP's best and brightest at award banquets held every two years.
“A harder-working guy I'm not sure I think I've ever met,” said Lt. Doug Ladd, who has supervised Randall for about six years. “He's a great family guy, a real salt-of-the-earth person. He's a 10.”
Randall said applying for the special detail of recruiting new troopers came to him naturally.
“I was always interested in training and going to job fairs,” he said enthusiastically. “I thought (working for the OSP) was and still think it's a great job. Any time you find a nugget like that, it's nice to share it.”
In 1979, 541 state troopers patrolled state highways. By 2007, layoffs had slashed that number to 254, even though the number of vehicles in the state had soared 65 percent in that same time period.
So in 2006, the Legislature upped OSP funding to hire new troopers. Randall and Terry were hired to get the job done.
At first, Randall said he and Terry had a hard time finding qualified applicants, as the economy was so strong.
“We'd just go out to as many job fairs, colleges and military bases as we could,” he recalled. “We talked to as many people as we could.”
Within two years, the dynamic OSP duo had filled 139 new trooper positions. They probably recruited closer to 200 people, Ladd said, if you factor in the vacancies filled as troopers transferred or retired.
Randall and Terry “did splendidly, brilliantly” in their recruiting efforts,” Ladd added. He attributes Randall's success to the fact “he believes deeply in what he's doing.”
Spending time with Randall, that conviction shows. He likes the variety of duties his job offers, he said, from helping at crash scenes to stopping cars hauling illegal drugs to helping out at community events.
He likes the people he works with and the camaraderie he feels, something he said he missed when he left the Marine Corps.
In between the Marine Corps and OSP, Randall spent 10 years as a local parole officer. He believes that helps him appreciate that most of the time now “we're pretty much looking for voluntary compliance ... trying to get (people) to do what's best for them,” like buckling their seat belts, far easier than dealing with “heavy criminals.”
These days, Randall also volunteers for details outside the Roseburg area, including helping with security at Oregon State University football games and serving on the OSP honor guard.
And when he's not cruising state highways in his patrol car, Randall likes tinkering around his home and spending time with his wife, Marie, and their three children.
But he credits much of his interest in extracurricular job duties, as well as his happy work environment, to the leadership of Ladd.
Ladd “not only allows (troopers to take special assignments), he encourages it,” Randall said. “If you're not involved with something extra he's going to ask you to be.”
“He's an outstanding leader. He leads by example,” he continued, noting how Ladd will encourage troopers to read books on leadership too.
“I love this job,” Randall said. “There's no other job I want. I like the people. I work with high-quality people.”
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
