For OHP, trend line is not encouraging
The safety and protection of Oklahoma’s citizenry is of paramount priority and should always be a core function of government. No state entity represents the vital function of government like the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and specifically, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. When providing round-the-clock public safety, OHP troopers are present day in and day out, at tremendous sacrifice, in all corners of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma’s population has risen almost 20 percent since 1995 and now totals nearly 4 million. However since 2010, the OHP has only been able to commission 144 new troopers to replace the 181 who left service due to normal attrition. Oklahoma relies on fewer than 800 troopers to serve the needs of all 77 counties, which correlates to the number of troopers on duty in 1995, yet the state’s population has increased dramatically.
While the state partially funded a much-needed and much-publicized trooper salary increase in fiscal year 2015 as well as a trooper academy, completing the salary increase funding or funding a trooper academy didn’t occur at all in FY 2016. Sadly, the situation is not any better for the current fiscal year budget, as it also doesn’t complete the salary increase, and for the second consecutive year, does not fund a trooper academy.
Not holding a trooper academy is arguably the most critical circumstance the state budget shortfall causes, as it equates to more stress on troopers and far more ground to cover, usually with no partner or fellow trooper in the vicinity. As if this scenario is not worrisome enough, the shortfall will most certainly require OHP employee buyouts, furloughs and workforce reductions throughout the current fiscal year.
Currently, 26 percent of troopers are eligible to retire, with 128 having more than 25 years of service and another 71 having over 20 years. In addition, 30 troopers are off duty recovering from violent encounters or other work-related injuries. With more than 112,000 miles of city, county and state roads and highways to patrol along with more than 600 miles of turnpikes and over 4,300 miles of shoreline, the OHP is stretched well beyond what is considered safe.
Today, the Department of Public Safety and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol find themselves in an unfortunate predicament as a result of recent budget shortfalls brought on largely by decreased prices within Oklahoma’s energy sector. As a former law enforcement officer, I’m very concerned with the direction Oklahoma’s primary law enforcement agency is heading, and what the end result could mean for the safety of all Oklahomans and visitors to our great state.
Continuing down the current budget path is ill-advised, and will further place the public’s personal safety in jeopardy. We must support the primal needs of the agency charged with protecting the public. The citizens of this proud state deserve such.