Leadership

Colonel Williams began his career with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol on January 30, 1995, as a member of the “OHP” 48th Academy. After graduating from the Academy, he was assigned to Troop H, Rogers Mills County. Williams spent six years in Troop H before transferring to Troop G, Comanche County. On February 1, 2008, Williams was assigned to Executive Security. On June 15, 2012, Williams was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to Troop G. On October 15, 2015, Williams transferred to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, serving as the Statewide Impaired Driving Liaison and the Statewide Occupant Protection Liaison. On September 1, 2018, Williams was promoted to Captain and assigned to Troop A, Oklahoma, Canadian, Logan, Lincoln, Pottawatomie, Cleveland, and McClain Counties. Williams transferred to Troop G, Comanche, Cotton, Jefferson, Stephens, Caddo, and Grady Counties on May 1, 2021, where he served as the Troop Commander until being promoted to Major on November 1, 2021.

Lieutenant Colonel Jason Holt began his career in law enforcement with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 2002. Early assignments included patrol and criminal investigations. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2008, Captain in 2013, Major in 2019, and to Deputy Chief in 2021. He has also been assigned as the agency’s Polygraph Program Coordinator since 2013. He currently oversees the day-to-day operations of the agency’s patrol operations.

A graduate of Webbers Falls High School, LTC Holt completed his Associate of Science Degree from Connors State College, and his Bachelor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Northeastern State University. He also holds multiple professional licenses including a polygraph examiner license, armed private investigator license, armed security guard license, and a state real estate associate license.

Major Eric Cannaday serves as the commander for Zone 3 which includes Troop D - McAlester, and Troop E - Durant. In this capacity, Cannaday also maintains administrative and financial oversight of the Futures, Capabilities, and Plans Division. Cannaday is also the Governor’s law enforcement appointee to the Governmental Technology Applications Review Board.

Cannaday joined the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in May of 2002 and graduated from the 54th Academy in October of that same year. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Cherokee and Adair County detachment in Troop C. While assigned to Troop C, Cannaday transferred to Muskogee County and accepted an additional duty position with the Troop C Fatality Investigation Unit.

Major Jack Choate serves as the Commander for Zone 5 which includes Troop B - Tulsa, Troop C - Muskogee, and Troop L - Vinita.

Major Choate began his career with the Department of Public Safety as a communications officer in Communications Center in Oklahoma City in 1986 before entering the 46th OHP academy in 1991. He was assigned to Troop L-Rogers county where he remained until he was promoted to LT in 2005. He served as a Lieutenant in Troops YA/YB/YE, L, B, and finally XB,XE before being promoted to Captain in 2021. Choate served as Troop Commander in Troop D/XC-McAlester and Troop B-Tulsa before being promoted to Major in 2024. 

Choate has served on the Troop L fatality investigation team, is a collision reconstructionist, and has served as a Field Training Trooper and Field Training Supervisor. He has also served as an LEDT (law enforcement drivers training) instructor since 1998.

Major Radford Paul Christian serves as the Commander for Zone 6 which consists of Troop SO – Special Operations, Troop T -Training, and the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office.

Christian joined the Patrol on March 30, 1999, as a member of the 51st Oklahoma Highway Patrol Academy. After graduating from the Academy, he was assigned to Troop H, Custer County Detachment. On May 1, 2005, he transferred to Troop SO as a criminal interdiction/K9 handler assigned to the west Interstate 40 detachment. Christian transferred to Troop V Officer Assistance Program on August 12, 2013. On December 1, 2013, he was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to Troop H East Detachment as a field supervisor. On September 1, 2018, Christian was promoted to Captain and assigned to Troop SO as the Special Operation/Asset Forfeiture Commander.

Major Jansen Idlett serves as the Commander for Zone 7 which includes Troop O - Aircraft Operations, Troop S - Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcment, and Troop W - Marine Enforcement.

Prior to working for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Idlett served as a Patrol Deputy with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and a K-9 officer with the Lexington Police Department.

Idlett began his career with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 2005 graduating from the 55th Oklahoma Highway Patrol Academy. Idlett served as a field Trooper in Troop F- Carter and Love County and Troop A- Cleveland, McClain, and Oklahoma Counties. In 2013, Idlett was assigned to Troop W Marine Enforcement and worked Lake Thunderbird in Cleveland County.

Major Joseph Lang serves as the Commander for Zone 1 which includes Troop G - Lawton, Troop M - Altus, Troop H - Clinton, Troop I - Guymon, and Troop F - Ardmore.

Major Lang began his career with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol on June 1, 2000, as a member of the 52nd Patrol Academy. After graduating from the Academy, he was assigned to Troop I, Beaver County. In February of 2001, Lang was transferred to Troop F, Carter and Love Counties. On March 1, 2002, Lang received an Additional Duty assignment as a Tactical Team member. Lang became a Defensive Tactics Instructor in 2002 and a firearms Instructor in 2004. Lang spent 6 years in Troop F before transferring to Troop G, Grady County late in December of 2007. In 2009 Lang received an intra troop transfer to Stephens and Jefferson Counties within Troop G. In 2013 Lang transferred to Troop A, Oklahoma County. January 1, 2015, Lang was promoted to Lieutenant assigned to Troop A Metro. On July 1, 2016, Lang was transferred to the Training Division as a Lieutenant over the Defensive Tactics program. On November 1, 2018, Lang was promoted to the rank of Captain and was assigned as the Troop Commander of Troop J/Enid.

Major Preston Lay began his career in 1999 completing the 51^st academy.  From the academy, he was assigned to Troop K, Pawnee/Osage county detachment. In 2009, Lay was transferred to Troop S northwest detachment. In 2014, he was promoted to the rank of Troop S Lieutenant. In 2015, he was assigned to Troop K as a Lieutenant. In 2018, Lay was assigned back to Troop S as the northeast supervisor. In 2021, he was transferred to the commissioner’s office to be the DPS legislative liaison. In 2022, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and continued to serve in the DPS legislative affairs role. In December of 2024, he was promoted to the rank of Major and assigned as the Troop S, Troop R zone commander as well as legislative affairs.

During his career, Major Lay has served as a field training Trooper and field training supervisor. He has also served as an academy duty officer. He has been highly involved in commercial vehicle enforcement and has liaised with other agencies for common goals to make Oklahoma roads safer.

Major Nathan Mackey began his law enforcement career with the Lawton Police Department, where he served as a Master Officer. He joined the Oklahoma Highway Patrol on March 30, 2007, as a member of the 57th Academy. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Stephens and Jefferson County Detachment of Troop G.

In 2016, Mackey transferred to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, where he served as an Impaired Driving Liaison. Two years later, in 2018, he was promoted to Lieutenant and returned to Troop G. In 2022, Mackey advanced to the rank of Captain, overseeing Troop G, and in 2023, he also assumed command of Troop M. On February 1, 2024, he was promoted to Major.

Major Kerri Mankey started her career with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol on March 1, 2003 as an Emergency Communications Officer in the Central Regional Communications Center in Oklahoma City. She was promoted to Communications Lieutenant over the Southwest Regional Communications Center in Lawton in 2005 and also served as Communications Lieutenant in Oklahoma City from 2005-2015 and Troop F in Ardmore from 2015-2021. She was promoted to Communications Captain over the south half of Oklahoma in 2021 and then promoted to Communications Director for the state in 2024. 

Major Garrett Vowell serves as the Commander for Zone 4 which includes all of the Turnpikes in Oklahoma.

Garrett L. Vowell has served with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for the past 24 years. He began his career with the Department of Public Safety as a State Trooper and has promoted through the ranks serving as a Lieutenant, Captain, and now as Major.

As a State Trooper, Vowell served on the Emergency Response Team (ERT), as a Law Enforcement Driver Training (LEDT) instructor, as a Field Training Trooper (FTT), and as a K-9 handler with the Special Operations Division.

As a Lieutenant, he served as a field supervisor and as a special service supervisor. He also served as a field training supervisor, and as a counselor in OHP academies.