Posted on 12/30/2009 09:29

State police ranks to thin; there's no money to train replacements By Brad Bumsted TRIBUNE-REVIEW December 29, 2009 HARRISBURG — The state budget doesn't contain money for a new cadet class of state troopers, and the prospects are bleak for hiring troopers with tight budgets the next few years, lawmakers and the head of the troopers union said yesterday. Allowing that to continue "would create a crisis like we've never faced before" over the next six years, said Bruce A. Edwards, president of the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association. The situation would become critical when senior troopers hit the 25-year point and retire, Edwards told the House Judiciary Committee. They can't be replaced all at once, Edwards said. "I think it does a disservice to us as Pennsylvanians," said Rep. Tom Caltagirone, D-Reading, the committee chairman. "We need those troopers protecting us." The state has about 4,300 troopers, not counting 250 assigned to the Turnpike and 129 to casinos. The casinos and Turnpike Commission pay for troopers assigned to them. If no cadet class graduates next year, and another wave of retirements takes place in 2010, there likely would be fewer troopers at the end of Gov. Ed Rendell's two terms in office than there were when he became governor in 2003, said Gary Babin, a lobbyist for the troopers association. One proposed solution is a bill by Rep. Mike Vereb, R-Montgomery County, which would levy a $10 surcharge on traffic violations and dedicate the money to the "Pennsylvania State Police Training Account" for sending cadets through the academy. It costs about $100,000 to train and equip each trooper. Caltagirone said he had difficulty getting Rendell's office to support the idea for a surcharge, but Rendell's spokesman Gary Tuma said yesterday: "The governor would sign the surcharge bill if it makes it to his desk." Vereb said yesterday he is willing to negotiate the amount of the surcharge, and would consider reducing the points drivers accumulate on licenses with traffic violations. About 150-200 recruits typically are trained each year at the academy, Edwards said. Rep. Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin County, suggested charging casinos for the training of troopers working for them. He suggested including that in a pending bill to legalize table games. But Caltagirone said it's probably not feasible, because lawmakers are nearing an agreement on details of the table games legislation. Another option is to charge municipalities that don't have local police forces for state police service.