Trooper Steve Joins Casselberry Police for Real Traffic Safety Patrol Shift

Steve Montiero, the WKMG News 6 traffic safety anchor better known to Central Florida commuters as Trooper Steve, traded his familiar mobile broadcast unit for the passenger seat of a Casselberry Police Department cruiser on Monday, March 23, taking part in a live day-shift patrol as part of his ongoing "Trooper Steve on Patrol" series.

"Instead of rolling around Central Florida in Results-1, I climbed into the passenger seat of a real, active patrol car with the Casselberry Police Department," Montiero said. "No studio feel, no staging, just a genuine look at what a day on patrol actually looks like."

The ride-along put Montiero alongside Sergeant Juan Saavedra, a longtime friend who now supervises patrol operations on the day shift. Watching Saavedra work, Montiero noted, "was a reminder of how much responsibility sits on the shoulders of those leading from the field."

By Montiero's own account, it wasn't the busiest shift, but between a few traffic stops and backing up officers on calls, what stood out most were the conversations. The segment zeroed in on the everyday realities of routine patrol, traffic-safety enforcement, and community policing in Casselberry, offering viewers a ground-level perspective that Results-1, Montiero's customized broadcast truck, cannot replicate.

The pairing of Montiero and Saavedra carries some history. Two years ago, Montiero welcomed Saavedra, then a corporal, onto a Results-1 segment when Saavedra was newly appointed to a community relations position within Casselberry Police, actively working to bring awareness to what the department had going on. Saavedra has since moved into a supervisory role on the day shift, giving this week's feature a before-and-after dimension that tracks the department's own evolution.

Montiero joined WKMG's News 6 morning team as its traffic safety expert in October 2017, bringing an eight-year background with the Florida Highway Patrol to the role. During his time with FHP, his responsibilities included patrolling Osceola, Orange, Brevard, Lake, Seminole and Volusia counties. That patrol experience in Seminole County, where Casselberry sits, gives his ride-along credibility that goes beyond a media visit.

The "Trooper Steve on Patrol" segment airs every morning at 8:30, taking Montiero to areas where people have questions, concerns, or want to see what conditions on local roadways actually look like. The Casselberry installment is available to watch on ClickOrlando.com and the WKMG News 6 platforms.