Why don't they hire more troopers?

[ZmOz]

I just watched a story on the news how they've had to cut back to 241 total state troopers here in Oregon. Then the news reporter went out to an overpass with a radar gun and watched nothing but 10+ over speeders go by.<br /><br />Now, I don't really pay attention to where exactly the oregon state police get their money, but will someone tell me why they don't just hire more troopers with their own ticket revenue? If one officer who works an 8 hour day writes just one $100 ticket per hour he would make more than enough to pay for himself, a car, and all the other equipment he needs.<br /><br />Now, don't get me wrong, I think 241 is still too many, but if they're going to **** and whine about it, the solution doesn't seem very hard. What am I missing?

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

I wonder if they are going to put cameras in? Cleveland is going to install some to help maintain certain intersections and sections of road that is hard for them patrol. Of course it is like everything else, people are fighting it. <br /><br />It makes more sense to have cameras. It makes the patrolmans job more safer, doesn't require a salery, never sick, and always on the job.<br /><br />On average over 40,000 people die on out highways a year. Everyone complains about the deaths from the war, disasters, second hand smoke, and homicides. Sad note is that that people brush this area off and don't think it is important.<br /><br />I still say when young kids know that their parents break traffic laws, it teaches them that it is okay to break the law. Then when these younsters get their license,,,,well duh! Maybe that explains the high rate of teen deaths and their lack of respect for the law.<br /><br />I agree OZ, we are using more gas which means more people on the road and then they cut back the enforcement. Doesn't make any sense. Makes for sad situations...

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

It's all good.....Next we'll have cameras to make sure ya flush.....Maybe Oregon has too many state patrol.....at least the elected legislators think so....And I'm sure the "quota system" works real well, but where are you gonna come up with 1,928 trangressors a day.....Stop 'em for doing 2 mph over? I think they should raise property taxes & start a sales tax to fund them.......JK

 

[theriver]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

The speed limit is too low.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

Originally posted by theriver:<br /> The speed limit is too low.

Certainly. It's there as a tax and nothing more. But that doesn't explain why they don't hire more officers to enforce it. Cameras would **** off alot of people - I doubt there would be much criticism of hiring more police officers.<br /><br />Again, I don't want anymore traffic cops, but clearly OSP does or they wouldn't have been whining about it on the news.

 

[MudIsFun]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

I know in California that the CHP's ticket revenues go to the county that they wrote the ticket in; not back to the CHP. There is a good chance that the Oregon state police have the same restrictions and that no matter how many citations they issue is does not assist their department what so ever.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

Bean counters can figger anything it appears'less cops,less to pay out, more money brought in gas taxes by everyone speeding.Win and win

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

Originally posted by dolluper:<br /> Bean counters can figger anything it appears'less cops,less to pay out, more money brought in gas taxes by everyone speeding.Win and win

More cops on the road would still be alot more profit though. How many tickets does a normal officer write in a day? I'm guessing it's near $1000/day if they try. Even if the police department doesn't get the money directly, you'd think somebody figuring out the county budget would realize that one cop costs $200 per day, and makes $1000 in ticket profits per day.

 

[theriver]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

might be $200/ day but thats plus benefits, plus training, plus a car, gear, insurance (major liability), dispatch/support services, etc etc

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

Originally posted by ZmOz:<br />

How many tickets does a normal officer write in a day? I'm guessing it's near $1000/day if they try. Even if the police department doesn't get the money directly, you'd think somebody figuring out the county budget would realize that one cop costs $200 per day, and makes $1000 in ticket profits per day.

Better think again. The cost of a state trooper is way higher than your saying. Here in Pa they start at about 200 a day in salary. Don't forget the awesome benefits that they get and the nice pension. You also have shift differential and overtime. It all adds up. I don't think many write 1000$ a day.

 

[bigbad4cyl]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

all they do out here is hand out seat belt tickets, jay walking , riding a bike on a sidewalk etc,illigal with no licence let them stay tickets ,,,,i say less cops ,,,,,i could go on they arnt realy enforcing like they should....

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

Originally posted by Flahthead:<br />Better think again. The cost of a state trooper is way higher than your saying. Here in Pa they start at about 200 a day in salary. Don't forget the awesome benefits that they get and the nice pension. You also have shift differential and overtime. It all adds up. I don't think many write 1000$ a day.

Even if the officer got an average of $400 per day after benefits, which they don't, they'd still be making a huge profit. A cop who's job description is writing tickets would have no problem making over $1k a day. (not to mention arrest dozens of people with warrants, no insurance, drunk, etc.)

 

[joblo33]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

Over here they tried the photo radar idea but too many people were fighting the tickets because the photos weren't great and were easily overturned as evidence and the whole system got canned. I suspect it'll do the same there. <br />My dad's a fire cheif and every time he went to a fire he'd get a ticket in the mail showing his truck with lights flashing. It was pretty funny but annoying at the same time because he had to go to the police station and contest the ticket every time.<br />Eric

 

[dolluper]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

ZmOz write them bean counters in your state politics and tell them what you think,maybe they will agree with you.Just think your letter may have made the state better

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

ZMOZ , In a perfect world yes. But the fact is most troopers don't just write tickets all day. There are accidents to cover, construction traffic control, many hours in court, many hours writing reports. If that officer that is assigned to write tickets makes a stop and finds drugs on a wanted felon and has trouble, He will spend the next three hours writing up the report. If he write 20 tickets and ten fight it thats more time in court. Much time is also spent on normal police calls in the rural areas with no local police. <br /><br />I have a close friend that is a trooper. Works strictly on the Pa. Turnpike. I had the misconception that about all they did was sit and wait for speeders and such. I was surprised when I found out all the other responsibilities he has to handle.

 

[KRS]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

241 troopers for the entire state, that includes trucker enforcement, 3 shifts a day, 365 days a year, plus one shift off, time for training, special response troopers......<br /><br />Sounds like they need to double it!<br /><br />BTW, what was 241 down from? 243 or 341?

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

As far as the money. They are working within a budget doled out by the state, For every new hire that budget goes up. As far as where the money goes that the fines bring in? I would guess that it mostly goes to offset cost involved with courts and such, and maybe to help pay down dept..

 

[Homerr]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

Oz,<br /><br />I still believe they are punishing us for voting the last budget down. They are whining because they have to actually BUDGET now... like the 'rest of us poor folk'<br /><br />Higher property taxes will never fly here, and the state knows it. Been there, tried that.<br />Same with the sales tax. We the sheeple voted it down 9 times... You think they'd get the picture after we said no the first 8 times?<br /><br /><br />We may not have enough cops around, but when you DON'T need one around... they sure come out of the wood-work it would seem.<br /><br />I'm still waiting to see what happens with the speed vans too. It's only a matter of time before we stop using them I think...<br />I'd like to see the stats on how many people get corn-holed because the guy in front of them slammed on his brakes when they came up to one of the vans. I hear other areas banned the vans because of that reason alone. <br /><br />Speaking of which... I got a chuckle out of a guy just this afternoon. I was on a local highway coming into an area that is a very popular for the photo-van to be sitting.<br />This moron must have been doing at least 60 when he went by me (it's a 45mph zone)<br /><br />Say cheese!<br />FLASH! You're on camera bud! <br />I seen the flash, but wasn't close enough to see what the MPH reading was.<br /><br />Didn't even phase the guy... totally oblivious.<br />And you're thinking... what could he have been doing? You got it... Talking on his cell phone.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />H.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

This won't be on "Cops". Midnight or so, two CHP officers responding to a "cows in the road" call Hum 299. Yep, there were cows allright. 8 dead cows and two injured chips.....we were only going 45 Sarge ah, 10-4

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Why don't they hire more troopers?

Oregon can't hire enough State Troopers because they spend too much money on their pet social projects. They have enough money for everything but essential services that are the their prime responsibility.