HIGHWAY PATROL'S JOB MORE THAN TRAFFIC SAFETY

The Missouri State Highway Patrol does more than enforce traffic laws and promote traffic safety on the state's roadways.

"Everybody knows we investigate traffic crashes, help stranded motorists and write tickets for traffic violations," said Sgt. Brent Davis, public information officer for Troop E, headquartered at Poplar Bluff.

But that isn't the patrol's only work, he said. Davis was guest speaker at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee at the Show Me Center.

Several state patrol officers, including Troop E commander P.C. Baird, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan and Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel attended.

Davis used the First Friday Coffee session as a town meeting to talk about the history and duties of the patrol, which is celebrating its 68th anniversary.

The patrol was founded in 1931 with 55 uniformed members and two civilian employees. Today there are 996 officers and more than 1,300 civilian employees.

But manpower is one of the problems facing the Missouri State Highway Patrol today, said Davis.

"A lot of officers are `jumping ship,'" he said. "In the past few months, a number of officers have left their $28,000 jobs with the patrol to join metropolitan police departments which pay up to $40,000 to start."

The patrol is short of officers, Davis added.

Information found in the patrol's annual report showed that only one county in Troop E, a 13 county area of Southeast Missouri, is at the recommended staff level. Wayne County operates with five officers on the patrol.

The report indicates that Cape Girardeau County needs 24 officers, but has half that many.

Expanding duties also account for much of the change in the patrol.

Now highway patrol officers also are criminal investigators.

"We have 40 criminal investigators stationed around the state who provide specialized assistance to other law enforcement agencies in criminal investigations," said Davis. "And, the patrol has participating membership in most of the major case squads throughout the state."

The patrol also has 36 narcotics investigators assigned to seven teams covering the state. The patrol provides DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) training and conducts programs such as Operation Cash Crop, the "Bad Weed" hotline and a drug-training canine unit.

In 1998, the patrol seized more than 10,000 pounds of marijuana and about 1,300 pounds of cocaine, in addition to large quantities of other illegal drugs like heroin and methamphetamine.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has four major crash investigating teams, formed to investigate fatality and serious crashes, and four Special Emergency Response Teams.

In recent years, the patrol has been called on to help in regulating the casino gambling industry in the state, with 275 officers on casino duties, working on the gambling riverboats.

"The officers assigned to the gaming division cost taxpayers nothing," said Davis. "The gaming industry pays salaries and benefits and pays for all equipment and expenses."

In turn, the patrol provides a variety of services that relate back to traffic safety, to ensure both vehicles and drivers are safe to operate.