Former local patrolman promoted

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A captain with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, who has ties to Wood County, was promoted to major earlier this month.
On July 4, Capt. John C. Altman was promoted to major by Col. Richard S. Fambro, patrol superintendent. Altman transferred from his assignment as commander of the Findlay District Headquarters to serve as commander in the Office of Training, Recruitment and Diversity.

Altman joined the patrol in April 1998 as a member of the 131st Academy Class. He received his commission in October of that year and was assigned to the Ravenna Post. He was selected as Post Trooper of the Year twice.
 
In 2003, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and transferred to the Ashtabula Post to serve as an assistant post commander. As a sergeant, he also served at the Hiram and Canfield posts.

In 2008, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and transferred to the Toledo Post to serve as commander. In 2012, he was promoted to the rank of staff lieutenant and transferred to the Findlay headquarters to serve as an assistant District commander. In 2017, he was promoted to the rank of captain and remained at the Findlay headquarters to serve as commander.

Altman earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Youngstown State University in 2001. He also completed advance leadership training at Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command in 2010. He earned a master of arts degree in justice administration from the University of Toledo in 2016.
 
Ohio Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, attended the promotion ceremony at the patrol’s academy.

“His selection to the rank of major is a testament to his professionalism and dedication to the law enforcement profession, and furthermore his commitment to serving the citizens of our great state,” Ghanbari said.

In his previous role as district commander, Altman was directly responsible for the patrol’s operations spanning 12 counties and seven Patrol Posts which also includes the Bowling Green Post on State Route 582. This area includes portions of Ghanbari’s district.

More than 20 years ago while a photojournalism student at Kent State, Ghanbari photographed Altman rending aid to a driver involved in a vehicle accident in Portage County. As Altman and firefighters from the Ravenna Fire Department stabilized the patient, the driver’s car became fully engulfed in flames several feet behind the first responders. Ghanbari’s photo was published in the local newspaper and subsequently used extensively for the patrol’s recruiting efforts in the Team Work Saves Lives campaign.

Ghanbari, an advocate in the legislature for public safety personnel and first responders, noted the importance of working closely with the patrol in his capacity as a state representative. Ghanbari is also a member of the House Transportation and Public Safety Committee and was recently appointed to the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission.