Audit finds Missouri highway, water patrols merger cost money instead of saving

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Touted as a way to save money in the long run, the merger of the state water patrol into the Missouri State Highway Patrol appears to have increased costs for the state in the months since the agencies combined, according to a state audit released Wednesday.

The water patrol became a division of the highway patrol in January. Proponents of the consolidation predicted the move would eventually save about $3 million annually. But the report released by Auditor Tom Schweich's office said the merger appears to have increased costs by about $900,000.

According to the audit, the merger has saved about $900,000 by eliminating support staff members, replacing high-ranking water patrol commanders who left the agency with lower-ranking officers and by ending a lease for a building used by the water patrol. But the auditor's office said those savings have been more than offset by about $1.8 million in costs from increased retirement and health care contributions.

Officers who had been with the water patrol were allowed to remain with their existing retirement and health care systems or switch to those that cover highway patrol troopers. The auditor said the state would pay about $1.7 million more for annual retirement system contributions and about $65,000 more for annual health care system contributions.

In a written response that was included with the audit, public safety officials said there had not been enough time yet since the two agencies were combined to capture all the savings. They also said the audit had not accounted for the expected benefits from overtime reduction.

Highway patrol superintendent Col. Ron Replogle said in a written statement Wednesday that the consolidation has helped both law enforcement agencies and boosted the number of troopers on Missouri's roads and waterways.

"In just six months, it has already exceeded our expectations in the capabilities demonstrated in response to large scale emergencies and natural disasters," Replogle said.

Replogle said the highway patrol deployed officers from the water patrol in four-wheel-drive vehicles to increase patrols on snowy highways during a blizzard this winter and was able to double the number of boat patrols during flooding along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers by assigning highway patrol troopers to help the water patrol.

He said that after a deadly tornado struck Joplin on May 22, two dozen officers from the water division helped with security and with recovering and identifying bodies.

Besides the cost of the merger, the state audit also raised questions about an inventory of 28 boats in a Jefferson City warehouse that are worth an estimated $250,000. The report said many of the boats have been in storage for more than a year and urged the disposal of boats that no longer are necessary.

Public safety officials said 20 boats were no longer needed and that three or four boats would be disposed of each month to avoid flooding the market. That process is to be completed in December. Officials said eight of the boats could still be useful in responding to floods and other emergencies and that it was likely to make a decision on them early next year.