Alabama sees extreme shortage of state troopers
MONTGOMERY, Ala. July 13 2018
The Alabama State Trooper shortage continues to hamper law enforcement and safety on our highways according to the State of Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Right now, Alabama has about 342 troopers on the highway, but they say they need 700 more.
“Unfortunately, I think, as a result, we’re going to see more crashes, more injuries, and more fatalities,” said Stg. Steve Jarrett.
During the 2018 Independence Day travel period, Alabama State Troopers worked 18 traffic fatalities. They say many of those accidents are a result of fewer troopers on the road.
The state troopers have had shortages before and the numbers keep increasing.
Troopers say some of the leading causes of the shortage are retiring troopers, budget cuts, and a lack of interest in becoming a trooper.
“With the manpower reduction that we’re dealing with now, we have become more reactive than proactive,” said Sgt. Jarrett.
In August, a new class of troopers is scheduled for training at the academy.
