If New Hampshire State Police cruisers zoom past you between now and Tuesday, they are probably clearing the lane for limos, black Secret Service SUVs, and buses filled with two first-in-the-nation primary candidates, a former President, and their assorted entourages.

For New Hampshire state troopers, such details can be stressful, yet thrilling.

"I have to say it's exciting and it puts New Hampshire on the national stage," said state police Lt. John Lelacheur, commander of Troop B.

Lelacheur takes some good-natured ribbing about the photos displayed at Troop B of him posing with the Presidents and candidates he has met on details over the last 24 years. They have all been cordial and make time for photos with local and state police, he said.

"Today I had senator and President Clinton together," Lelacheur said Friday. Later in the day, the Clintons went to separate campaign events.

"Over the last year, we've done 80 visits counting all Secret Service protectees, Sen. Clinton, Barack Obama, President Clinton, the president of France and president of Russia," Lelacheur said.

The Clintons get Secret Service protection as former President and first lady. Sen. Barack Obama requested and obtained protection several months ago, according to Laura Keehner, spokesman for Department of Homeland Security. The protectee status was granted by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, but she wouldn't say what was behind his decision. Usually, candidates seek such Secret Service protection after becoming their party's nominee, but they can request it anytime as long as they meet the criteria of being a serious presidential candidate.

Lelacheur has worked 25 or 30 such details over the last year.

Lelacheur said there are times when campaigns hire state troopers to do private details, but that is separate from the details helping Secret Service protectees.

He said Mitt Romney and Ron Paul have both requested state police details, and Gov. Bill Richardson gets state police protection as a sitting governor at the request of New Mexico state police.

"We're working with the local press, the national and international press. There was a film crew from Japan in Manchester. It's definitely exciting. That's part of why I went into law enforcement, to be part of what's going on, not just reading about it afterward," Lelaucheur said.

So who gets Lelacheur's vote this primary?

"Personally, I'm undecided at this point. I keep going back and forth between a few candidates. I really can't say until Tuesday. I narrowed it down to two and will decide when I walk in Tuesday," Lelacheur said.

Holly Fraumeni, resident agent in charge of Secret Service in New Hampshire, referred all questions about why Obama gets Secret Service protection to information officers in Washington, who referred them to the Department of Homeland Sercurity. Fraumeni had high praise for New Hampshire state troopers.

"They're tops. They're tops to work with," Fraumeni said.

State Police cruisers lead the Secret Service motorcades for protectees and provide the last vehicles, called the tail cars, according to State Police Commander Frederick Booth.

"It's all in a day's work. Oh, God, I've been doing this for 34 years," Booth said.

Booth met President Gerald Ford on a detail.

"I met George Bush Sr. over in Kennebunkport. I met George W. Bush when he was campaigning," Booth said.

But the best opportunity of all came with an invitation to the White House after Booth won the 2007 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

"I had the opportunity of 50 minutes in the Oval Office with President Bush. He was talking about the speech he was giving that night on Iraq. It was really pretty cool, the opportunity of a lifetime," Booth said.

The Clintons and Obama both arrived in New Hampshire Friday at about 3 a.m., Booth said.

"Former Presidents don't get the same entourage as a sitting President. A sitting President has a huge entourage of protection, not only state police, Secret Service, but local police and sheriff's deputies because there needs to be a lot more control," Booth said.

Booth said the troopers are working their regular shifts for the protectee details so it doesn't cost the state any extra money.

"We use duty personnel to do this. They'd be on their shifts anyway. If there is overtime involved, it is limited," Booth said.

Booth said there would be six troopers assigned each day until the primary election Tuesday, depending on the Clintons' and Obama's schedules.

"We just lead the way. They have their motorcade and we provide the tail car. Secret Service is ultimately responsible for the candidates, not State Police," Booth said.

Booth, in his fifth year as state police commander, said he received a thank-you note from Sen. Clinton after the recent hostage situation in her Rochester campaign office was resolved peacefully.

This primary season will be over soon.

"My guess would be they will be here through next Tuesday evening and then once a declaration is made on who won the primaries, they will move to the next state," Booth said.