A bipartisan group of state representatives will conduct a thorough investigation into the operation of the state’s Water Patrol Division. Formed by House Speaker Tim Jones at the request of state Reps. Diane Franklin, Rocky Miller and David Wood, the House Review Committee on the 2011 Water Patrol Division Merger will lead a comprehensive review of the way the division is managed; the training received by troopers; and the overall cost benefit the state has realized from the merger that placed the water patrol into the Missouri State Highway Patrol in 2011.
“We were told by the governor when he made the merger a priority that it would save the state millions while making the patrol even more effective in carrying out its duties,” said Jones, R-Eureka. “However, we now have to question whether this merger has put our hard-working patrol officers in a position where they can effectively maintain the public’s safety on our waterways. I know Rep. Franklin and the members of the committee will provide us with the kind of detailed analysis that will give us a clear picture of whether this has been a good thing for Missouri.”
The Water Patrol was merged into the State Highway Patrol in 2011 following a piece of legislation (HB 1868) that was passed and signed into law in 2010. Following the passage of the bill, Gov. Nixon said the merger would save the state $3 million annually and make the patrol “an even more effective force, seamlessly patrolling Missouri’s roads and waters.”
Franklin will chair the committee while state Rep. Don Phillips, R-Kimberling City, will serve as her vice chair. Miller and Wood will serve as members of the committee along with state Reps. Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff; Pat Conway, D-St. Joseph; Jeff Roorda, D-Barnhart; and Clem Smith, D-Velda Village Hills.
Franklin, Miller and Wood said they would use the committee to closely examine the details of the merger and the actual cost savings that have been realized in the years since it went into effect. They also want to thoroughly review the training process that patrol officers must complete before being placed on the water. The legislators agreed the primary emphasis of the committee will be to ensure the Water Patrol Division has the resources necessary to meet the public safety needs of the people of Missouri in a cost effective manner.
“The people of my district spend countless hours on the lake each year and deserve to know that the men and women patrolling these waters have the training and expertise necessary to maintain a safe environment,” said Franklin, R-Camdenton. “We were made a lot of promises when the merger was pushed by the governor in 2010 and it’s time to find out if he was right with his predictions about the benefits the merger would produce.”
“As someone who grew up on the lake and has many good friends who have served with the Water Patrol, I know how hard these men and women work to keep us safe while we’re on the water,” said Miller, R-Lake Ozark. “But my fear is that we have made their jobs far more difficult as a result of a merger that we’re not even sure has resulted in significant savings for Missouri taxpayers. That is why we need to take a detailed look to see if this really is in the best interest of the hundreds of thousands of Missourians who spend time on our lakes and rivers each year.”
The committee is scheduled to hold its first public hearing in the coming weeks. Franklin, Miller and Wood said they encourage anyone with information they would like to share regarding the Water Patrol Division to make plans to attend.
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