Fully fund Iowa State Patrol to ensure safety

By Darin Snedden

I have been fortunate to be a member of the Iowa State Patrol for more than 20 years. In that time, I can recall instances in which the Patrol's budget faced serious challenges. My colleagues have shared with me experiences from the 1970s and '80s, when state government also made budget cutbacks that impacted the force.

In my capacity as president of the Iowa State Troopers Association, I speak with many of my colleagues around the state and other public safety professionals. We all agree that state public safety budget cuts have been so severe over recent years that the capability of state officers to account for Iowans' safety is on the verge of being critically compromised.

Today, there are 382 troopers in the Patrol - a 45-year low. It's down more than 70 from as recent as 2001. Think back to the last time there were this few state troopers supervising Iowa's highways. In 1964, most families had one car. Today, there are more than 3.4 million motor vehicles registered in Iowa that travel our roads.

Forty-five years ago, troopers were not dealing with sophisticated, organized drug trafficking on our highways. Think of the thousands of miles of new highways constructed since 1964 without additional troopers to supervise those roads.

In short, the job duties and expectations for today's troopers far exceed those from 1964, yet we have the same number of officers on the highways. How many other critical state agencies are operating with 1964-level staff?

I think most Iowans would be surprised to learn that due to the shrinking number of troopers, it is not uncommon these days for one trooper to be responsible for covering an area of three to four counties.

During the Dec. 8 winter storm, troopers handled nearly 4,000 emergency calls and assisted more than 250 motorists who were stranded or involved in accidents during that period. The existing trooper levels make it exceedingly dangerous for Iowans traveling in poor winter conditions, as the patrol simply cannot respond in a timely way to everyone needing help.

I understand there are no easy answers for these types of budgetary challenges facing Iowa lawmakers and Gov. Chet Culver. Other state departments are facing similar budget and staffing challenges.

That said, I have heard and read enough comments from elected officials to believe that public safety is recognized as a top priority of state government regardless of political party.

Policymakers need to prioritize public safety when the Legislature reconvenes in January. They must examine ways state government can provide more stable, reliable funding for the Iowa State Patrol outside of general fund dollars to avoid further reductions to our work force. Many other states fund their highway patrol with non-general fund revenue streams.

We support Gov. Culver's recent suggestion to fund the Patrol's $50 million budget out of the Road Use Tax Fund. A 1942 amendment to the Iowa Constitution calls for the creation of this fund to be used for public highway construction and supervision.

Not surprisingly, the lobbyists for the road builders objected to the governor's comments. They should be reminded they are not entitled to the entire $1.1 billion in that fund or the less than 5 percent that could go to the Patrol.

In fact, the constitution requires that fund be used for public highway supervision, which includes the Iowa State Patrol.

Regardless of the means by which the Legislature and governor accomplish it, policymakers should find a way to fund the Iowa State Patrol from revenues outside the general fund and lay a strong foundation for our citizens' public safety.

Darin Snedden of Mount Vernon is president of the Iowa State Troopers Association. Contact him at dlsnedden@msn.com