SHORT-STAFFED PATROL WILL LOSE TROOPERS TO BOATS

JACKSON -- The Missouri State Highway Patrol used the first of a series of "town meetings" in Jackson Monday to discuss the effects of riverboat gambling.

The event was also designed to give residents a chance to meet area troopers in a relaxed atmosphere.

"The number one priority of the patrol officers is to serve the public -- especially those travelling on Missouri's highways," said Troop E. Capt. Morris Patrick. "But we're having a hard time doing that because we've been stretched so thin."

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is made up of more than 900 commissioned officers and about 1,000 civilian employees. There are 77 officers in Troop E, which encompasses all of Southeast Missouri.

The emergence of riverboat gambling will put an even bigger dent on the number of patrolling troopers.

The highway patrol recently assumed the responsibility of doing background investigations and enforcement for riverboat gambling facilities. Fifteen troopers have been assigned full-time to the Missouri Gaming Commission, to conduct background investigations on all licensees and employees.

A minimum of seven plain-clothes officers will be assigned to every boat for surveillance and law enforcement.

"This new responsibility has removed a number of officers from their main priority -- traffic safety," said Patrick. "While the patrol has called for a new recruit class next summer and has one which just completed training, it takes time to select and adequately train a trooper for road duty.

"A recent manpower allocation study indicated the patrol needs an additional 145 officers assigned to road patrol duties, just to handle existing calls for service," said Patrick. "That's before officers were taken off the road to work with the riverboats."

A similar study was performed in this area about a year ago, again revealing a need for more troopers.

"There are 10 officers currently assigned to Cape County, Bollinger County and North Scott County," said Patrick. "But a recent study shows that at least 17 troopers should be assigned to this area.

"There are no areas within Troop E with sufficient manpower to provide adequate coverage for the entire region," he continued.

Patrick said the same study shows that people would expect a trooper to arrive at the scene of a major incident within 12 minutes of the call, and to a minor incident with 24 minutes.

"Under current circumstances, our average response time to major incidents is about 45 minutes," he said. "Getting to reports of minor accidents or incidents can take well over an hour.

"This is a major concern of the highway patrol," Patrick said. "We have a responsibility to citizens who call for a trooper to respond. Right now we are responding, but our response time is suffering due to lack of manpower."

Lack of manpower or not, troopers arrested more than 339,000 people last year and issued in excess of 468,000 traffic warnings.

"Reducing the number and severity of traffic accidents on Missouri's roads and highways is a main goal for the patrol," said Patrick.

But it's not only traffic violations the highway patrol tries to curb.

"Missouri serves as a crossroads for illegal drugs moving from coast-to-coast," said Patrick. "Since 1986, the patrol has seized almost 80,000 pounds of marijuana and more than 7,500 pounds of cocaine off of Missouri's highways."

Patrick said troopers are trained to look for signs of concealed drugs in vehicles they stop on the roadways. The highway patrol also has several drug-sniffing dogs to aid in stopping interstate drug traffic.

"The Missouri State Highway Patrol has a great history and tradition," said Patrick. "We hope our organization is one of which citizens of Missouri can be proud."