The Legislative Emergency Board of the Oregon State Legislature approved a request Friday to allocate $900,910 from the Emergency Fund to create 10 new permanent State Police trooper positions.
The new positions are intended to provide more police coverage across the state. The positions are provided with additional resources resulting from the board’s January decision to fund 10 new evidence technicians.
House Majority Leader Wayne Scott, R-Oregon City, said the decision reflected House Republicans’ commitment to make the State Police a more efficient, effective and accountable agency, as well as their commitment to add more state troopers.
“The State Police is on a solid course to begin a recruit school this spring,” Scott said. “We are taking steps to improve this agency, but more importantly, today’s decision will help improve safety on our roads.”
Scott said the decision was dependent on the State Police agreeing to eventually end its practice of paying top-level managers more than the Legislature approved.
The Emergency Board is a joint committee staffed by members from the Oregon Senate and House of Representatives.