The new year will bring new challenges for Mike Lynch as he takes over as the newest Missouri State Highway Patrol lieutenant in Troop E.
A 24-year veteran of the patrol, Lynch was promoted to lieutenant effective Jan. 1.
“When I came on the highway patrol, my career goal/last job was being a zone sergeant,” said Lynch. “I did that, and I realized, I thought I could benefit the patrol more by moving up.”
Over the years, Lynch said, he began thinking about his career differently.
“I love the organization; if I can do something more for it, I want to do it,” Lynch said.
With the retirement of Lt. Mitch Heath, “I think I was just looking for a challenge and thought I could help the patrol some in this position,” Lynch said. “ ... There were several very qualified, very good officers that put in for it. I was very honored to get the call.”
Lynch was appointed to the patrol on July 1, 1996. He initially was assigned to Ste. Genevieve and Perry counties in Troop C.
At that time, Lynch said, troopers did not have computers or email, and everything was on paper, including tickets, which were handwritten.
“Things change, and so do we as we go,” Lynch said.
Changes in Lynch’s career occurred as he transferred to Troop E and Stoddard County at the end of 1998.
“Then in 2007, I was promoted to corporal in Cape, Bollinger and Scott counties, and then, on Jan. 1, 2013, I was promoted to sergeant in that same zone,” Lynch explained.
As one of Troop E’s four lieutenants, Lynch will oversee one of the troop’s enforcement districts. Troop E has 94 troopers, 23 commercial vehicle officers and 49 civilian employees.
“I am definitely looking forward” to the new position, said Lynch, who indicated it will be challenging and interesting “learning a lot of about the new aspects of the job that I just don’t know about.”
Although Lynch supervised the other troopers in his zone, he said, 90% of his time was “spent stopping cars, working crashes” and doing “hands-on investigations.”
Now, he said, his job will primarily be supervision, “not boots on the ground so much. It’s something I will have to learn to adjust to after all the years.”
The patrol, according to Lynch, has a lot of “very talented, qualified people in all aspects” of its operations.
Lynch said he knows what the road troopers do and has a “general idea” of what the other divisions do and hears they “do a good job. I don’t know (exactly) what they do; I’m interested in learning about that.”
Learning what the civilians do, Lynch said, will be one of his challenges.
“I’ve never supervised civilians before,” Lynch said. “We have a great group of driver examiners, commercial motor vehicle (officers), maintenance staff, administrative staff.
“I’ve never been involved in supervising any of those before. I know them all on a friendship level. ... The challenge is getting a better understanding of their jobs ... learn what they do and what they need to get (their jobs) done.”