ATLANTA — Statewide, there are about 800 or so state troopers and Department of Public Safety law enforcement officers and many of them will be out on highways patrolling for the Fourth of July holiday.
On Tuesday a group of lawmakers is trying to figure out how to keep them now and in the future.
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Rincon Republican lawmaker Bill Hitchens is leading the House public safety working group to find ways to recruit and train new state troopers.
He knows what he’s talking about as he used to be the state patrol commander.
“And dare I say, we don’t want to reduce the standards and take people that can’t navigate that,” Hitchens told Channel 2′s Richard Elliot.
It’s no secret the Georgia State Patrol, like law enforcement all across Georgia, is having trouble recruiting and retaining troopers.
This group is looking at ways to reverse that through better pay and better retirement compensation or any way that works.
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GSP commander Colonel Chris Wright knows firsthand the difficulties of getting the right people for that job.
“It’s been quite a challenge the last few years recruiting and retaining people to do this profession,” Wright said.
State law enforcement did get $6,000 raises last session, but he says, it’s competing with competitive pay and better retirement benefits in neighboring states.
House Speaker Jon Burns was there for the first meeting. He thinks they’ll find a solution but it won’t be easy.
“We’ve seen the pay scale of the Georgia State Patrol and public safety officers on the state level to be gradually eroded over the years and we have not kept up. It’s time we come back and address the issues,” Burns said.
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This working group will come back with recommendations the general assembly can take up next session.
Wright says they’re ready to be out on the highways in force for the Fourth of July weekend.
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