Ohio Investigative Unit Executive Director Cathy Collins-Taylor was appointed by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Henry Guzmán on March 29, 2007. In her first year, Executive Director Collins-Taylor has made great strides toward bringing consistency to the seven districts and has overseen the purchases of new weapons and wireless cards to allow agents to easily access their computer files. Collins-Taylor has also upgraded agency policies as the Division is working to become Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) compliant for the first time in agency history.

She began her state career by serving as Branch Chief of State and Local Coordination and Domestic Security for Ohio Homeland Security (OHS), another division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. During her time with OHS, Collins-Taylor was responsible for overseeing the creation of the Ohio Response System, coordinating resources from local and state first responders, Health, Agriculture, National Guard and Mental Health.

As Executive Director, she also brings the experience of being a 26-year veteran of the Columbus Police Department, retiring from active duty in September 2004. During her tenure with the Columbus Division of Police, she was assigned to the Motorcycle Unit, where she became the first female motorcycle officer in the department’s history. She also helped to establish the Exploited Children’s Unit and worked assignments in Patrol, Vice Bureau including child pornography and juvenile prostitution investigations, Crime Scene Search Unit and Polygraph Unit. She also served as an instructor at the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy.

She is a past officer and member of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Capital City Lodge #9, Columbus, and served as an FOP state legislative agent from 1995-2004. She is also a past recipient of the City of Columbus’ Outstanding Women in Government Award. A Columbus native, Collins-Taylor is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Columbus Police Academy. 

Collins-Taylor resides in Columbus with her husband, Mike and two daughters.