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Theodore Oman #353

31 years with MN State Patrol

NEW ULM -- Ted Oman keeps a photo album that documents his 37-year career with the Minnesota State Patrol.

Oman, of Winthrop, is a retired sergeant. At 87, he lives at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm.

He is a familiar face at Oak Hills. People recognize Oman as "the gentleman in the cowboy hat."

The album includes every Journal clipping Oman saved during his career. The cover is a collage. Inside pages include photos, newspaper clippings and Kiwanis materials.

The Minnesota Highway Patrol was created in 1929 when Commissioner Charles M. Babcock appointed Earle Brown as chief. The first training school was held Jan. 18 to April 1, 1930. The school graduated 35 members. In 1973, the Highway Patrol was reorganized and the name was changed to Minnesota State Patrol.

He retired about 27 years ago as sergeant in District 2200.

Oman said law enforcement was different in his era.

When he started, patrol cars had no computers, no radar and no GPS. The statewide radio network only began to take shape in 1943 with two towers.

Motorcycles were retired from the fleet in 1948. Two-way radio was still new in the 1950s. Troopers in that era carried dimes to call the station from a pay phone to check in.

The Patrol adopted maroon as the standard car color in 1958. The white door paint scheme ran from 1960 to 1991. In 1967 came the first 4-door patrol cars, the first with power steering, and the first with the 375 hp 440 Super Commando V-8. The Patrol purchased two fixed-wing aircraft in 1957.

By the 1970s the State Patrol had become a leader in seatbelt campaigns and DUI enforcement. Troopers wrote tickets by hand, measured skid marks with a tape wheel, and knew every farm family on their stretch of Highway 14 and Highway 15.

Oman was active in Kiwanis. Kiwanis International was formed in 1915 in Detroit. The stated purpose was to "devote itself to good rather than greed, to service rather than selfishness."

The Mankato club formed in February 1921. Today the Minnesota-Dakotas District has 109 clubs across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The motto is "One Child and one Community at a time."

Oman showed his album at Oak Hills. He pointed to clippings from the 1930s through the 1970s.

A photo in the album shows Oman in uniform. The label on the photo reads:Minnesota State Patrol, Theodore Oman #353, Sergeant, District 2200. The photo shows his uniform with M.H.P. on the collar, for Minnesota Highway Patrol.

Oman uses a wheelchair because of his knees. He said knee surgery is too risky. He said he uses his arms to "walk" the hallways three or four times a day for exercise. He said he gained 40 to 45 pounds because he is in a wheelchair.

He has two grown children, including son Jerry Oman. Jerry works for the state and lives in Mankato.

Oman's wife is June Oman, 83, of Winthrop. She lives in Winthrop and plays organ. She visits him every day at Oak Hills. She also travels to New Ulm on Mondays for Parkinson's exercise class.

"I don't regret anything in my life," Oman said.