Publisher's Synopsis
In 1932, an elderly widow did something seemingly impossible -she was elected as Iowa's first female Secretary of State. Ola Babcock Miller proceeded to do something else seemingly impossible -create a Highway Safety Patrol for her home state. She promoted it with a single platform: "Save Lives First!" Her vision and determination inspired the birth of a law enforcement agency that Iowans have voted as "Second only to God" when it comes to their trust. This is the story of Mrs. Miller's vision and how it evolved from the "First Fifty" men of the Iowa Highway Safety Patrol in 1935 to the men and women of the modern Iowa State Patrol. It is also the story of Iowa's history, beginning with the coming of the automobile at the start of the 2Oth century. It continues with the muddy ruts that passed for early state roads, to the gangsters and bootleggers who saw the automobile as a means to expand their opportunities, and the development of the modern US Highway system. Killer tornados, plane crashes, massive floods, prison riots, and sub-zero blizzards have all been part of the Iowa State Patrol's jurisdiction. So have organ donor relays, safety education, drug awareness, security for visiting celebrities, and aid to stranded motorists. The members of the Iowa State Patrol have upheld their original motto of "Courtesy-Service-Protection" and have an enormous affect on every man, woman, and child who live in or pass through Iowa. Scott Fisher has spent more than a decade researching state historical and ISP archives, as well as interviewing the men and women who have helped shape the Iowa State Patrol. Much of this book is told in their own words, including the reminiscences of members of that "First Fifty" class of 1935, which included Scott's great uncle, Russell J. Fisher. Also included are almost 300 photographs, some of them never before published.
