The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) - Nevada Highway Patrol officials fear a sales tax proposal to pay for more police officers in southern Nevada will make it more difficult for the state agency to hire troopers.
“It concerns me because we already have a hard time competing with those agencies for applicants,” said Col. David Hosmer, head of the Nevada Highway Patrol.
When the Legislature convenes next year, it will be considering a proposal to raise the sales tax to let five Clark County police departments hire nearly 1,700 new officers.
If that happens, Highway Patrol officials believe fewer people will take jobs with the agency, which pays entry-level troopers less per year than the Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, North Las Vegas and Mesquite departments.
The starting salary for a trooper is $38,795.
“We do a good job in training our troopers, and they are ripe for the picking by those agencies,” Hosmer said.
The department currently has 419 sworn troopers. Since June 2003, there have been 39 troopers hired for the Las Vegas area. Of those, 38 have left for jobs elsewhere.
Officer Sean Walker, North Las Vegas police spokesman, said troopers are considered desirable candidates because they are already licensed as police officers in Nevada and are experienced in traffic enforcement and crash investigations.
Highway Patrol officials want 133 troopers patrolling highways in Clark County, but have just 64. Three troopers patrol heavily traveled Interstate 15, which links Las Vegas and Los Angeles, where the department wants eight.
Hosmer said the lack of manpower is affecting highway safety.
Troopers have investigated more than 11,375 collisions on southern Nevada highways, with a record-setting 100 fatalities this year. Last year, there were 12,159 collisions and 79 fatalities.
The agency has been trying to recruit from other states, particularly California, and at military installations and job fairs. Sessions are being held monthly in Las Vegas for potential recruits to take Department of Public Safety written and physical exams.
But turnout has been disappointing, said Trooper Angie Chavera, spokeswoman for the Highway Patrol’s southern area command.
Officials expected 115 applicants to take exams, but only 55 showed up for a weekend testing session. Fewer than 20 passed written and physical tests, and background checks are expected to further reduce the number of eligible candidates.