House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #43

Additional Florida Highway Patrol Officers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Requester:

Charles Hall

Organization:

Florida Highway Patrol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project Title:

Additional Florida Highway Patrol Officers

Date Submitted:

01/30/2000 5:56:26 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

District Member:

Doug Wiles

Service Area:

Statewide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Counties Affected:

{Statewide}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient:

Florida Highway Patrol

Contact:

Charles Hall

 

Kirkman Building

Contact Phone:

(850) 488-4885

 

 

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project Description:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This appropriation will allow the Florida Highway Patrol to hire and train 100 additional Highway Patrol Officers. 

 

For far too many years, the Florida Highway Patrol has not received the support from either the Governor or the Legislature to ensure that they are properly equipted to protect Florida's highways.  Studies done by Northwestern University and approved by the Cabinet, show that Florida currently has shortage of over 500 highway patrol officers.  Even though there has been a doubling or tripling of cars on the road, many areas in Florida have seen massive reductions, as much as 60-70% reduction in the number of troopers patrolling the highways.  In this time of unprecidented economic prosperity, we have an opportunity to correct a wrong.

 

This appropriation will begin the process of rebuilding Florida's Highway Patrol and will do so in a manner that will not cause a tremendous one-time fiscal impact to the state or will it create problems for the Highway Patrol to properly recruit, train and deploy these troopers. If 100 new troopers are added each year for the next five years, Florida will once again have a strong effective patrol force.

 

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has requested 61 new positions.  The Governor's Budget has recommended no new positions.  This appropriation would pay for 100 new positions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Services Provided/Benefit to State:

 

 

 

 

 

The Florida Highway Patrol is charged with enforcing traffic safety laws on Florida's state highways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

 

 

 

 

 

Increased number of state troopers will increase the number level of traffic patrols in Florida, leading to improved traffic safety and a lower number of fatalities in Florida.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$8,163,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total cost of the project:

$8,163,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Request has been made to fund:

Operations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?

 

No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was this project previously funded by the State?

 

Unknown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is future-year funding likely to be requested?

 

Yes

 

 

Amount:

$4,769,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purpose for future year funding:

 

Recurring Operations

 

 

Will this be an annual request?

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?

 

Yes

 

 

Agency:

Highway Safety And Motor Vehicles, Department Of

Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?

Yes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there a documented need for this project?

 

Yes

 

 

Documentation:

Northwestern University Study showing a deficit of over 500 troopers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?

Yes

 

 

Hearing Body:

St. Johns County Commission

 

Meeting Date:

12/17/1999