The Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD) celebrated two new officers joining its force on May 26, 2023. Officers Kristen Kovach and James Welch both received their OSUPD badge. Officer Kovach will serve the Columbus campus while officer Welch will serve the Wooster campus.
Officer Kovach is a Columbus native who attended the Eastland Career Center and Columbus State Community College. She was hired by the Dublin Police Department and attended the Ohio State Highway Patrol police academy where she obtained her Ohio Peace Officer Training certificate in December 2015. In July 2016, Officer Kovach was hired by the Ohio State Highway Patrol where she has since been working as a trooper.
“Even though I have experience in law enforcement and I’m coming from another agency, this is like the beginning of what the rest of my career will hold,” said Kovach. “There are a lot of opportunities here and a lot of people to meet so I’m just excited to start what I consider to be the beginning of the rest of my career.”
Officer James Welch is from the Canton, Ohio area and attended Stark State College where he obtained his Ohio Peace Officer Training Certificate in March 2000 and earned his associate degree in applied science. After earning his Ohio Peace Officer Training certificate, he worked as a police officer for the Villages of Hartville, Uniontown and Navarre. Most recently, Officer Welch worked at Welsh University as a police officer and was a security coordinator for Stark State.
Now, the two officers will spend at least 14-weeks training with a field officer before being assigned to solo patrol.