Here’s a sneak peak at one of the hot issues at the Capitol that could impact state troopers. Since so many of you have called about this issue, we thought it best to update everyone here on the website. This week, the Mississippi State Senate passed SB 2680 which allows a number of state agencies to go out from under the control of the State Personnel Board for a period of one year. The Department of Public Safety is one of those agencies. What does that mean for you if this bill were to pass the legislature in its current form? It means that Mississippi Troopers would no longer have job security - you would be an at-will employee and have no job security for one year. SB 2680 passed the Senate by a vote of 28 to 22. You are unlike any other state employee in Mississippi. The Legislature has a very high financial investment in each of you. The state has spent about $150,000 on each trooper to train and equip you. That is one sound argument as to why you should not come out from under the Personnel Board, and the other is to make certain NOT to politicize the Highway Patrol. We have the greatest amount of police powers of any other state law enforcement agency - we write traffic citations, make drug and DUI arrests, investigate accidents, murders, rapes, abductions and other violent crimes. Troopers also run the drivers services division and carry the responsibility of issuing gun permits. Mississippi Legislators should want to keep the politics out of the patrol. The Highway Patrol should not have to worry about the political climate, but rather be left alone to focus completely on the safety and well-being of Mississippians, visitors to our state, and for each other. Just so that you’ll know, we did have an amendment ready to be offered, but were asked to hold off on it. We agreed to wait. After the bill passed the Senate, we quickly and immediately met with leaders in the House. These House members have assured us that troopers will NOT be at-will employees and will continue to have job security. What can you do? Contact your legislators and let them know that you are against State Troopers being included in this legislation (SB 2680). Call House and Senate members that you know at 601.359.3770. Remember to tell legislators: the State of Mississippi spends about $150,000 per trooper to train and equip, and to keep the politics out of the Highway Patrol by allowing you to do your jobs and perform your law enforcement duties without fear of political influence.

Those Senators voting FOR this bill are: Albritton, Brown, Burton, Carmichael, Chassaniol, Clarke, Davis (1st), Dickerson, Fillingane, Flowers, Gordon, Hewes, Hopson, Hudson, Hyde-Smith, Jackson (15th), Jackson (32nd), King, Kirby, Lee (35th), McDaniel, Mettetal, Michel, Moffatt, Nunnelee, Ward, Watson, Yancey.

Those Senators voting AGAINST this bill are: Baria, Blount, Bryan, Butler, Davis (36th), Dawkins, Dearing, Frazier, Gollott, Harden, Horhn, Jackson (11th), Jones, Jordan, Montgomery, Powell, Simmons, Stone, Tollison, Turner, Walls, Wilemon.