• A state trooper's workday is never typical. It can be stressful and dangerous but rewarding as well. His daily tasks reach far beyond catching speeders and drunk drivers. It also depends on his training and if he has been assigned to a specialized unit. Learning some of these major areas will give you a good idea of what a peace officer's workday can entail.
  
  

General Enforcement

• Keeping interstates and highways safe is the primary duty of the state trooper. Once assigned a specific area or "beat" to patrol, her duties may include: issuing citations, chasing a fleeing suspect, settling domestic disputes, arresting criminals, removing large debris from the roadway, providing first aid, assisting with road closures during inclement weather or just sitting in a patrol car for hours at a time. Sometimes she'll have to make death notifications to family members or testify in court. One constant in her daily tasks is filing reports for all of the day's experiences.
  
  

Specialized Operations

• Enforcing motor vehicle laws involve a broad range of highly specialized training. A state trooper in the Airwing Unit flies above the traffic to check speed and help in searches. Officers on the Drug Labs Tactical Support Team intercept drug deals and make drug arrests. If he is part of the K-9 Unit, he may be a handler for one of the dogs trained in drug searches. Identifying commercial vehicles posing a risk to other drivers due to fatigue or overloading is the responsibility of the officers in the Motor Carrier Safety Program. Safety Education teaches children and adults about bicycle safety, substance abuse prevention, self defense, seat belt and child restraint instructions and defensive driving. Facing some of the most dangerous situations in law enforcement, the trooper on the Tactical Response Team may be deployed for a prison riot, natural disaster, hostage situation, methamphetamine lab raids and could encounter heavily armed suspects. A Collision Investigator gathers evidence and pieces it together to determine the cause of a fatal accident. Officers in the Vehicle Theft Unit investigate insurance fraud, inspect salvage yards and participate in "sting" operations to recover stolen vehicles.
  
  

• Whatever area a state trooper is involved in requires ongoing training with the possibility of new experiences every day.