Master Officer John Dorroh’s 25-year law enforcement career has been marked by service to others — whether he is extending kindness to traffic violators on the roadside, motivating and teaching a new generation of officers, or donating a kidney to a former Highway Patrol classmate.
“I might be one of the older officers,” Dorroh said, “but I'm setting the example for the newer recruits coming on after I retire.”
A native of Columbia, Dorroh became interested in automotive mechanics at a young age — a set of skills that not only benefited his family, but also laid a foundation for his future with the State Transport Police.
“I've been a mechanic, truck driver, construction worker, electrician — you name it,” Dorroh said. “I’m kind of a jack of all trades. I don't usually call repairmen, because I can figure it out myself.”
When he wasn’t fixing cars, Dorroh served his community as a volunteer firefighter. The same passion for public service led him to explore a career in law enforcement.
“I wanted to do something more to help people, and I think that's what drew me to becoming an officer,” he said. “It seemed like a really good opportunity to change people's lives, whether through enforcement or education.”
Dorroh began his law enforcement career in 2000 at the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, where he worked in the detention center before joining the SC Highway Patrol in 2003.
It was during his training to become a trooper that Dorroh first heard of the State Transport Police.
“It just really intrigued me,” Dorroh recounted. “I loved the Highway Patrol, but when I saw what STP did, I thought, ‘Man, I can put my mechanic skills and my CDL knowledge to work.’ It looked like a lot of fun.”
After two years as a state trooper, Dorroh underwent specialized training and made the switch to STP, where he joined the HAZMAT Unit. In his new role, Dorroh inspected commercial motor vehicles for defects and hazardous materials, ensuring that each vehicle met state and federal regulations.
Years of experience as both a mechanic and a CDL driver provided Dorroh with a unique perspective and ability to connect with the motoring public and CMV drivers. As his career evolved, he has made a concerted effort to not only catch violators, but encourage safe driving habits in the process.
“I’ve chosen to be just as much of an educator as an enforcer,” Dorroh said. “I enjoy giving safety talks, and someday I’d like get out of the enforcement side of it all and into the ‘Hey, let's keep you in compliance’ side.”
In 2020, Dorroh had an opportunity to save a life in a different way, when he reconnected with an old patrol school classmate, Darrell Smith. After learning of Smith’s diagnosis of renal failure, Dorroh began the testing process to see if he was a match. Months later, Dorroh learned that he was an exact match to donate a kidney to his friend. Five years later, both of them are happy and healthy.
“As many people as I’ve helped out while patrolling the roads, it was nothing like being able to give a kidney to save somebody's life,” Dorroh said. “We still talk, usually on a weekly basis, and we try to go out fishing together as much as we can.”
After 25 years in the law enforcement profession, Dorroh has decided to hang up his hat and badge and instead focus his attention on woodworking, further education, and devoting more time to his family. He credits his wife, Megan, and support system of family and friends for helping him reach new heights in his career, which includes winning Officer of the Year for Region 1 in 2024 and being a finalist for statewide Officer of the Year.
“I've watched a lot of people take their last breaths and notified families that their loved ones had passed in a collision,” Dorroh said, reflecting on his time in law enforcement. “Those are the tough moments of the job that people don't realize you go through. But being able to help people — whether it’s helping someone to be a safer driver, or even pulling a driver from a burning car — that’s been the satisfying part.”
