Excerpt from Report to the 1975 General Assembly of North Carolina, Second Session 1976: The Highway Patrol, 1975-76 Interim Special Study by the House of Representatives Committee on Professional Law Enforcement Personnel and Practices; Raleigh, North Carolina, May 12, 1976

The first interim meeting of the House Committee on Professional Law Enforcement Personnel and Practices was held on January 8, -976. This and the other Committee meetings were held in the State Legislative Building in Raleigh. Chairman Holmes had asked the Committee members to talk individually with Highway Patrol troopers in their areas, and the first part of the meeting was devoted to discussion of information gathered in these legislator-trooper conferences. The interviews did disclose the existence of problems, but the Committee members found that the overall patrol morale is generally good, that the patrol remains strong, and that the troopers are proud to serve in the patrol.

There are a number of problem areas that are a common concern to troopers across the State. The troopers feel that their salaries are generally too low, that there is a high risk factor in their work that is not adequately compensated, and that there is not enough difference between the trooper pay schedule and the schedule for sergeant. Troopers feel that the State does not carry enough liability insurance on patrol cars, that information on the Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System is difficult to find, and that there are some problems with patrol equipment, particularly in communications. They are also concerned about political factors in patrol promotion decisions and there is sentiment for moving the patrol out of the Department of Transportation to an independent status under the Governor. The Committee identified five of the troopers' areas of concern for further Committee examination and study: salary, grievance procedures, retirement, liability insurance, and equipment.

The second Committee meeting was held on January 29, -976. Atthis meeting information on the five areas of Committee study was presented by legislative staff, by the Commander of the Highway Patrol and members of his headquarters staff, by State Auditor Henry Bridges and his Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System staff, and by representatives of the North Carolina State Employees' Association. The initial presentations concerned salary. A trooper, in annual steps, may progress through annual salaries of: $-0,66u As with other State employees, the increases from the first to the second step and from the second to the third step are automatic on the employee's anniversary of employment. On succeeding anniversaries, subject to merit evaluation and available funds, a trooper is eligible for merit increase to the next highest step. The range of steps begins at State Personnel Office salary classification Grade Step (trooper); and at the end of three annual increments it moves to Grade Step 3 (senior Trooper); and at the end of six increments moves to Grade 65, Step 5 (master Trooper). A patrol sergeant is paid in Grade 68 with a range of to a trooper at the top of his pay schedule can look for only two more incremental steps if he is promoted to sergeant. Further North Carolina Highway Patrol salary schedule information is carried in Appendix C, and comparison data is carried in Appendix D.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com