Tennessee’s Department of Safety & Homeland Security is asking for more than 100 state troopers, in part to fill in patrol gaps left open because of a law enforcement surge in Memphis.
Safety Commissioner Jeff Long made a request for $43.5 million to fund 139 positions for Highway Patrol officers, supervisors, and support staff during budget hearings with Governor Bill Lee. Nearly 120 of those would be state troopers.
The personnel increase would make up more than half of Long’s overall budget increase of $84.2 million, which includes $19.7 million for a department “market adjustment” to cover inflation.
The department has 300 troopers working in Shelby County, roughly 100 per shift, as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, a combination of local, state, and federal forces, including the Tennessee National Guard, which is the subject of a lawsuit.
The buildup could last for a year, although Lee has said he believes it could continue in some form “forever.”
Tennessee has more than 1,000 highway patrol officers and shifted about 25 percent of them to the Memphis buildup from other parts of the state. Troopers are being rotated in and out of Memphis and some adjustments will be made, Long added, but other counties are left to fill in for those working in Shelby County.
“They’re not on skeleton crews because we’re not emptying certain areas. We’re pulling from the different areas across the state, as we do any other major operation,” Long told the Lookout. “It leaves [open shifts] somewhat for the people who are still there. That’s why we need more troopers, too.”
Lee has made increasing trooper strength a priority during his two terms in office. His budget for this year added officers for a fifth straight year, roughly 370, though the state has had trouble filling all of the positions.
Asked about moving a large number of troopers to Memphis, Lee said Monday when he took office the state had about 800 troopers and was told the department needed 1,300 to be fully staffed. He said nine Highway Patrol troopers worked in Shelby County when he took office, and 130 were patrolling there before the buildup.
The state shifted more troopers to Memphis over the past few years because of continual complaints about speeding and drag racing on the city’s interstates.
Lee said he would evaluate whether the troopers Long requested are needed, but he added that the investment in law enforcement was necessary.
“It’s working,” Lee said. “We’re surged in Shelby County.”
The governor called Long’s request more of a move to continue improving trooper staffing to reach his initial goal than a reaction to the Memphis buildup.
Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.