MORE TROOPERS HEADED TO AREA

With two classes of recruits graduating from the Missouri Highway Patrol academy in Jefferson City in the next few months, the Troop E commander hopes to have 24-hour patrols in some areas of Southeast Missouri by October.

The commander, Capt. Morris Patrick, said three troopers graduating May 3 and five graduating in June from the academy will be stationed in zones across Southeast Missouri. He said by October he hopes the new troopers will be ready for full duty.

Patrick said with the added personnel in Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau and Ripley counties, patrolmen might soon be on the roads around the clock in those counties.

"The patrol initiated the plan April 1," Patrick said, "but it will be a while before we can implement it. Hopefully by fall we'll have it."

Patrick said Troop E is reeling from losses suffered with the riverboat casinos docking around Missouri. He said eight patrolmen were taken from the troop to serve on the floating casinos. Those troopers no longer are part of the troop; officers assigned to the riverboats report directly to Jefferson City as if they were part of a new troop, he said.

The patrol hasn't had 24-hour patrols throughout Southeast Missouri for many years. Sgt. Brent Davis, public-information officer, said he patrolled the Sikeston zone in the late 1970s when the troop had 24-hour patrols in that zone.

"I remember looking for something to do between 3 and 6 a.m.," he said. "It was quiet. That's one of the reasons why the 24-hour patrols were stopped."

Davis said he left patrolling before the 24-hour shifts were completely phased out. He said budget constraints and manpower shortages contributed to the patrol eliminating many of the 24-hour patrols.

According to patrol headquarters, only three of Missouri's 114 counties had 24-hour trooper presence before the April 1 plan was initiated. The patrol hopes to have 37 counties with 24-hour patrols once the plan is completely implemented.

"Right now the day car gets called out early for anything that happens after 3 a.m.," Davis said.

In many counties, Davis said the last patrol shift ends at 3 a.m. and the day shift begins at 6 a.m. For three hours, much of the state doesn't have patrol presence.

Davis said a few counties are without patrol presence for five hours. He said in some of the remote, rural counties of Missouri the last shift ends at 1 a.m. and the day shift doesn't begin until 6 a.m.

"Depending on what time something happens, they'll call the late shift out or the day car out," he said.

Davis said with more people traveling at all hours, patrol presence is needed around the clock.