Why are there so few State Troopers in GA? (Atlanta: crime, movies)

[neil0311]

I was shocked to read a recent AJC article that described how many GA State Patrol posts are closed at night, with not a single trooper patrolling in most counties. It's a green light for drivers to do what they want after 2am. Much of this is due to the tiny size of the force. At full strength, the GSP has about 950 troopers, but they are currently operating at about 200 troopers under strength, roughly 750 troopers to cover the entire state. With the sheer volume of drivers and the amount of bad driving, especially in the Atlanta metro, why is this number so incredibly small?

Compare with other State Police agencies (number of sworn troopers not including civilian employees), many of which are much smaller states (area miles - GA is the largest state east of the Mississippi River) with less highway miles and fewer residents:


- New York - 4,600 troopers
- New Jersey - 3,100 troopers
- Massachusetts - 2,500 troopers
- Texas - 2,174 troopers
- Virginia - 1,900 troopers
- Florida - 1,800 troopers
- Connecticut - 1,250 troopers
- Tennessee - 950 troopers
- South Carolina - 910 troopers

[Bulldawgfan]

I am just too lazy to do any real research on this but I will offer a guess. My guess is that a very large percentage of the states population resides in the four largest metropolitan areas in the state, each policed by various agencies. The remainder is policed by the various county and city departments spread throughout the state. I have lived in five different states in my life and I find Georgia to be no less policed than any other.

With the sheer volume of drivers and the amount of bad driving, especially in the Atlanta metro, why is this number so incredibly small?

As someone who travels throughout the state (A LOT) I find this to be true... once you leave the Atlanta metro area the bad driving drops dramatically. Why the Atlanta (and surrounding) authorities do not police their highways any better is beyond me... as I have lived there for three years at one time and asked myself that question many times. But outside the Atlanta area I find the "sheer volume of drivers and the amount of bad driving" to be just like any where else I have been. I-16 and I-75 are at times lonely stretches of road with little traffic. And towns like Chauncey and Valdosta are famous for local speed enforcement (i.e. speed traps).
I have often thought that the state police agencies were way way overmanned any way... once you realize that every road is patrolled by county officials and every resident falls under some county jurisdiction. Not to mention all the small city and town police departments. I wonder what 250 Highway patrol officers would do all night... that is not already being done.

[irishvanguard]

The numbers you quote from other states may be an apples-to-oranges comparison. If I can believe the movies I watch, there are investigative arms among these state police groups that would not have a corresponding group in the Georgia State Patrol. For instance, the Massachusetts State Police seems more a combination of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia State Patrol.

The Georgia State agency seems to be a lot more of a pure highway policing agency, while the Massachusetts State Police seems to be a combination agency, as may well be others you mention with large staffs.

[irishvanguard]

BTW, did anyone see The Departed with Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg (old Marky Mark!)? Great movie.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by irishvanguard

The numbers you quote from other states may be an apples-to-oranges comparison. If I can believe the movies I watch, there are investigative arms among these state police groups that would not have a corresponding group in the Georgia State Patrol. For instance, the Massachusetts State Police seems more a combination of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia State Patrol.

The Georgia State agency seems to be a lot more of a pure highway policing agency, while the Massachusetts State Police seems to be a combination agency, as may well be others you mention with large staffs.

I moved here from MA, so I'm especially able to discuss that agency. Sure, there is a more varied mission for the MA State Police, but the state is a fraction of the size of GA with a smaller population. Sure the GBI provides investigative services in GA while the MSP has a small detective division, but the number of detectives in MA isn't huge, and both MSP and GSP have SWAT as well as a high proportion of troopers working the highways. In MA, you couldn't drive more than a few miles on any major road without seeing a trooper, and the kind of driving tolerated in GA would not have flown in MA. In GA, I don't think I've seen more than a handful of troopers on the road in the year I've lived here. The difference shows in the terrible drivers and massive speeding problem in GA.

The real point is that the GSP cannot even man posts 24 hours a day, and even when troopers are on duty, they often have massive swaths of territory to cover with little or no backup. They are also working almost 30% under strength due to loss of troopers and low recruiting numbers. In an article in the AJC, County Sheriffs have said that they can't rely on the GSP, and one questioned the value of a law enforcement agency that isn't "open 24 hours". I guess no one besides me feels that's a problem.

[Bulldawgfan]

Originally Posted by neil0311

The difference shows in the terrible drivers and massive speeding problem in GA.

Are you talking about Atlanta or the entire state? I need to ask because I do not see what you see outside of ATL. I feel safer driving around this state than ANY of the bordering states... and I have lived in all of them.

I guess no one besides me feels that's a problem.

I think you are right. I know we just ain't got it goin' on like you did up there... but I see no major problem with the policing of our highways. Luckily for you there is an easy way to keep away from us terrible drivers with our massive speeding problems. Feel free to take some peaches back with you.

[irishvanguard]

I have heard rumors that a few people traveling through Atlanta metro have been pulled over by law enforcement for traveling the speed limit. The drivers were supposedly told that they need to "go with the flow of traffic", or they might cause an accident.

Of course, this is hearsay on my part, and I am not sure which enforcement agency this supposedly involved.

[Bulldawgfan]

Originally Posted by irishvanguard

I have heard rumors that a few people traveling through Atlanta metro have been pulled over by law enforcement for traveling the speed limit. The drivers were supposedly told that they need to "go with the flow of traffic", or they might cause an accident.

Although I have never seen/heard of this happening, it is certainly possible. But based on actual driving experiences, my guess is that this would only happen during the rush hour times... you know, between 4AM and 3AM the next day. During that one relatively quiet driving hour between 3AM and 4AM I suggest you do the speed limit.

[Ollie1946]

Because in Georgia we can have guns in our cars. Try that in MA or some of those other states and get caught. We can also carry a weapon concealed if we have a permit (I do). That takes care of the crime part.

The other part concerning closed posts at night. Many of us are not out during late hours because we know that the roads are loaded with drunks who are driving.

[irishvanguard]

Originally Posted by Bulldawgfan

Although I have never seen/heard of this happening, it is certainly possible. But based on actual driving experiences, my guess is that this would only happen during the rush hour times... you know, between 4AM and 3AM the next day. During that one relatively quiet driving hour between 3AM and 4AM I suggest you do the speed limit.

Well, yeah, 03:00 to 04:00 is rush hours for drunks only. So, that takes up the last available spot.