Missouri State Highway Patrol Commercial Vehicle Officer Martha McCartney of Tarkio is retiring after more than 30 years of dedicated service. A retirement luncheon will be held Thursday, October 28, at Troop H Headquarters, 3525 N. Belt Highway, St. Joseph, Missouri.

Martha started out as a bonding deputy for the Atchison County Sheriff’s office in October of 1987. She was assigned to the Watson Scale House Post H4 to collect the fines for all citations issued at the scale house. At that time, the county had over $250,000 worth of unpaid tickets on the books. Martha said, “During that time, I worked closely with the Commercial Vehicle Inspectors at the scale house, in particular Richard Dalrymple. I would follow him around during his inspections of the commercial vehicles. So when two of the inspectors were assigned to work a mobile unit, that opened up two vacancies. The guys working there encouraged me to apply. They all put in a good word for me and I was one of two people hired starting December 1, 1988. Bernard O’Laughlin was the supervisor. Steven Hoffrogge, Michael Clifton, Shay Carlisle, Gerald Ratliff, Joel Harbin and Doyle Yandell were all assigned to the scales. I learned so much from all of them. Being the first woman assigned to that location in what was looked at as a man’s job was kind of intimidating at times. When I was hired, we did not carry a firearm, but in 1997 I was sent to school to become a Commercial Vehicle Officer and started carrying a firearm then. I started out as a Commercial Vehicle Inspector. I then moved to an Inspector II after 18 months and Inspector III after five years. In 1997 after completing Commercial Vehicle Officer School, my title changed to CVO II. I held badge number W223 from December 1,1988, to August 31, 1998. I was promoted to CVO Supervisor I, given badge #W50 September 1, 1998, as the assistant and remained at the Watson scales. After several retirements, I was promoted to CVO Supervisor II and assigned badge #18 August 1, 2000, and supervised the Watson scales and also a portable scale truck. I worked one week on the scale truck and one week at the scale house. This continued for several years until I applied for and was promoted to Chief Commercial Vehicle Officer for Troop H on April 4, 2005, and assigned badge # W003. This is the position I hold at the time of my retirement.

“There have been so many changes over the years. My job has always been about safety and trying to make sure the trucks traveling the highways with my family and yours are safe. The equipment has improved so much over the years and most drivers take pride in the trucks and keep them in good shape. However, with everything  there is always job security due to the number of companies that don’t care.

“Over the years, there are so many memories with all the people I have worked with across the state and in my troop. We have inspected trucks carrying everything from the White House Christmas Tree, every circus animal you can imagine, the Budweiser Clydesdales, Lipizzaner Stallions, NASCAR racing cars, Harley Davidson motorcycles,  jumping combines, airboats, busses and trucks carrying music artists and their bands, and over 5,000 super loads with wind turbine parts. One memory comes to mind. We were  working a covert operation in Nodaway County checking cattle trucks leaving the sale barn in Maryville. Several officers were assigned. I was driving an unmarked vehicle (a minivan). I would drive around and watch for the trucks to pull out on the highway and advise the officers which direction the truck headed. All the officers were busy and one truck headed north up US 148 towards Hopkins. He was going to cross the state line before anyone was able to catch him. I had a light and put it on my dash and pulled him over south of Hopkins. I was in plain clothes and walked up to the truck. When I asked the driver for his paperwork and bills for the cattle, he said, “Martha, is that you?” I said, “Yep. I bet you never thought you would get stopped by a woman in a minivan.” I am quite sure that he never shared that information with his buddies at the coffee shop. My division also assisted when we lost Trooper Fred Guthrie and K-9 Reed at Big Lake in Holt County. We worked long hours keeping the generators and lights going while assisting with the search.

“The Missouri State Highway Patrol has been more than a job or career. It has been part of my life and family. The patrol has been there through the best times of my life welcoming both Taylor and Shelby into the world and the worst time of my life when we lost Taylor. The support of my patrol family and community is something I will treasure the rest of my life. I feel blessed to have had such a wonderful opportunity in my life and to have made lifelong friendships. I plan to just take some time off for a few months and enjoy the sun in Florida.”