Shortages

State-by-state look
at growth in state
police
The number of highway troopers in many states has
not kept pace with population growth. The number
of troopers, by state, and how those numbers have
changed since 1995 compared with the overall
population:

Note: Shading reflects percentage change in trooper
totals from 1995 to 2008.
Sources: FBI Uniform Crime Reports, Census Bureau,
Mississippi Department of Public Safety, West Virginia
State Police

The number of highway troopers in many states has
not kept pace with population growth. The number
of troopers, by state, and how those numbers have
changed since 1995 compared with the overall
population:

The number of highway patrol officers has shrunk
in a dozen states in the past 13 years and failed to
keep pace with population gains in others, leaving
stretches of highways unpatrolled during late-night
and early-morning hours, a USA TODAY analysis of
federal and state data finds.

The shortages, which come as states battle billions
of dollars in budget gaps, have forced places such
as Oregon to cut down on 24-hour patrolling. Other
states, such as Michigan, also have limited how
many miles a trooper can drive per day.

"Every governor wants to tell everybody in the
world, 'I'm cutting the size of state government,' "
says Maine State Police Sgt. Mike Edes, chairman of
the National Troopers Coalition, which represents
about 45,000 state troopers. "What's hurt us and
what's hurt a lot of state patrols is this rural sprawl.
People are moving to the country… most of those
places in the country don't have their own police
departments."

To get federal highway funds, states must assign
some troopers duties such as truck safety and weigh
stations, says Sheldon Greenberg of the Division of
Public Safety Leadership at Johns Hopkins University
. "They're not having troopers to do basic patrol
work," he says.
Greenberg says repeated cutbacks have some
agencies at a breaking point. "Police agencies are
digging themselves into a hole that will be very hard
to get out of if it continues for too many years," he
says.

Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine,
Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Oregon,
South Carolina and South Dakota have smaller state
patrols than they did in 1995. Details:

• Michigan, which cut its state police force more
than 15% from 1995 to 2008, a period when the
population grew more than 5%, laid off 100 more
troopers in June as it faces a potential $1.4 billion
budget shortfall next year. The state is re-hiring 55
troopers. "We're past the point of being able to do
more with less," says state police spokeswoman
Shanon Banner.

• Oregon's state police force was cut by more than
30% since 1995 while the population swelled more
than 22%, forcing elimination of 24-hour-a-day, 7-
day-a-week patrols. Public outcry recently led to a
budget grant for more troopers, says Lt. Gregg
Hastings of the Oregon State Police.

Incremental increases are likely in some states:
"When there is a crisis, when the state police can't
get there in time to save somebody, they'll … add a
few people here and there," Edes says.

Shortages? I know of too many troopers in admin positions that could be working the road and doing basic troopers jobs. The problem here is too many chiefs and not enough indians. Get out there and do as I say, not as I do. What happened to the 10 or 15 percent of patrol time that the admin staff was supossed to do? we have specialty positions who could be working a zone and taking calls while not doing whatever they do or don't do. If we all helped eachother this place would be a better place to work and more efficient. If the brass cared about the troopers and not THEMSELVES that's all I'm saying.

So to say we're short on people when we have the bodies is not realistic. Mis-management of the troops is what's happening. Poor supervision and no accountability.

Thanks, Tallahassee

Shortages? I know of too many troopers in admin positions that could be working the road and doing basic troopers jobs. The problem here is too many chiefs and not enough indians. Get out there and do as I say, not as I do. What happened to the 10 or 15 percent of patrol time that the admin staff was supossed to do? we have specialty positions who could be working a zone and taking calls while not doing whatever they do or don't do. If we all helped eachother this place would be a better place to work and more efficient. If the brass cared about the troopers and not THEMSELVES that's all I'm saying.

So to say we're short on people when we have the bodies is not realistic. Mis-management of the troops is what's happening. Poor supervision and no accountability.

Thanks, Tallahassee

Quit your crying, like 4 hours a week is going to make any difference that is not even one hour a day for a five day work week.

You do not want all the supervisors out on the road all the time. Rookies.

Really??????? shortages.. do as I say, not as I do..... which means .... I didn't as a trooper on the road, bud do as Im a trooper not on da road..... nice leadadership.... I'll do as you do.... oh.... or as you didn't or never did........ what a waste of positions......

Shortages? I know of too many troopers in admin positions that could be working the road and doing basic troopers jobs. The problem here is too many chiefs and not enough indians. Get out there and do as I say, not as I do. What happened to the 10 or 15 percent of patrol time that the admin staff was supossed to do? we have specialty positions who could be working a zone and taking calls while not doing whatever they do or don't do. If we all helped eachother this place would be a better place to work and more efficient. If the brass cared about the troopers and not THEMSELVES that's all I'm saying.

So to say we're short on people when we have the bodies is not realistic. Mis-management of the troops is what's happening. Poor supervision and no accountability.

Thanks, Tallahassee
agree