TULSA, Okla. — The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is asking state lawmakers for nearly $26 million to address a significant trooper shortage that officials say is impacting public safety, particularly in rural areas, KTUL reported.
With only 766 troopers currently covering all 77 counties, the agency says staffing levels are stretched thin, forcing troopers to work extended hours, often alone and on call, according to Lt. Mark Southall, the patrol’s public information officer.
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“They’re on call nearly every night that they work, and they don’t really have a life outside of the patrol,” he told KTUL. “Because when you’re on call, you’ve got to be at the house. You don’t get to go anywhere. You stay by the phone.”
The patrol’s funding request of $25.9 million includes resources for two 72-person training academies, with $13.9 million allocated to payroll and operating costs, according to the report. If approved, the funding would support the addition of 100 new troopers, significantly reducing the staffing gap and moving the agency closer to its goal of 950 troopers statewide.
Agency officials say trooper shortages are creating coverage gaps, especially in rural areas where law enforcement presence is already limited. High attrition is also a concern, with 25 to 35 troopers leaving each year and more than one-third of the current force eligible for retirement.
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton said the physical and mental demands of the job, along with increased risk, are major challenges for recruitment and retention.
“The risks are as high as they’ve ever been, and that weighs on people’s minds,” Tipton said.
Southall stressed that the requested funding is critical to improving statewide coverage and reducing strain on troopers.
“There’s a lot of people in rural Oklahoma that just don’t have that law enforcement presence that the municipalities do,” he said.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is currently accepting applications for its 76th academy as part of ongoing recruitment efforts.
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