Captain Eric Caudill currently serves as Captain of the Columbus District Headquarters, a position he has held since May 2025. In this role, he oversees traffic safety operations across one of Ohio's most complex and high-volume traffic corridors, including the I-70 Franklin County construction zone contraflow project. Captain Caudill began his career with the Ohio State Highway Patrol in August 2000 as a Cadet Dispatcher and was commissioned as a Trooper in February 2003, serving at the West Jefferson Post. His commitment to excellence was recognized early when he was selected as Post Trooper of the Year in 2006. Throughout his career, Captain Caudill has demonstrated strong leadership across multiple roles. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2010, serving as Assistant Post Commander at the Delaware Post, and advanced to Lieutenant in 2014, where he commanded operations at the OSP Hub Watch Desk—gaining critical experience in coordinating multi-agency responses and real-time incident management. During this assignment, he also served as the ESF 13 Law Enforcement Coordinator in the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC), coordinating law enforcement response during multiple high-profile incidents across Ohio. In 2017, he returned to the Delaware Post as Post Commander, and in 2021, was promoted to Staff Lieutenant, serving as Division Auditor before his current appointment. Throughout his tenure in the Columbus District, Captain Caudill has managed traffic operations for numerous high-profile events including Ohio State football games and the Memorial Golf Tournament, requiring sophisticated multi-agency coordination and crowd management strategies. He has also directed response operations for large-scale traffic incidents on major interstates in and around the Columbus area, providing him with extensive practical experience in rapid incident management and interagency collaboration under high-pressure conditions. Captain Caudill holds an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice from Columbus State Community College (2021) and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Safety Management & Leadership from Franklin University (2025). His comprehensive operational experience in traffic management, combined with his leadership in coordinating complex incidents and managing inter-agency collaboration, provides him with unique insight into the challenges and solutions for high-risk construction zone safety.