The new four-officer Northern Plains Squad of the South Dakota Highway Patrol put in its first day of work today. The HP has charged this new squad with the unenviable duty of patrolling the entire northwest quarter of the state, with a focus on U.S. Highway 85 and S.D. Highway 79, which bear the brunt of Bakken oil field traffic.
To keep these increasingly busy and hazardous routes safe, Sergeant Desmond Watson now oversees three new troopers, brought to you by federal dollars:
The new squad was made possible by a federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant, which allowed for the three new trooper positions within the highway patrol [Kaylee Tschetter, "SD Highway Patrol Squad to Activate in Belle," Black Hills Pioneer, 2013.03.29, p. 2].
President Bill Clinton created the COPS program in 1994 to promote a change in policing philosophy toward preventing crime by getting police to interact more with community members. Now COPS seems to be just a "hire more officers" program... and maybe part of the disturbing trend toward militarization of the police that the ACLU is currently investigating.
Uncle Sam has given South Dakota $375K to cover our three new troopers' pay and benefits for three years. Then South Dakota will foot the full bill for the Northern Plains Squad, to which Tschetter reports the SDHP already plans to add four more troopers to handle the growing traffic and crime along our northwest corridor...
...which means South Dakota will be footing the bill for more of the externalities caused by Big Oil's exploitation of North Dakota's natural resources.
It just seems like the right time for a song.
http://grooveshark.com/s/Highway+Patrol/yClbS?src=5
The Blindman
I could be wrong, a few years back they had an hypo in Lemmon and Faith. The dept asked for 24? Mil and we given 26?mil fed monies..they put one up in Lem, Faith, Bison and talked of Buffalo. And the job of keeping us free continues. Fred does need help in Belle.
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Great memory Bill.
"which means South Dakota will be footing the bill for more of the externalities caused by Big Oil's exploitation of North Dakota's natural resources."
Really cory? I bet the money being brought in to the state far outweighs a measly few hundred grand to hire these troopers. gas taxes, trucking permits, lodging and food, fines and tickets.....need I list everything? Money well spent is more like it.
DB please don't practice voo-doo math. The large trucks cause 99% of highway wear, tear, and damage. Yet they pay a pittance to repair and refurbish highways. That's not my opinion - it's peer reviewed science.
With gas prices artificially high in western SD only a fool trucker refuels in western SD. Instead they plan their trips like I do to refuel in WY, far eastern SD, or out of state. Your math is chasing loose change while ignoring the big costs to the state.
Alright John, remove the troopers and let happen whatever is going to happen. I'd be for that as well. I guess some people can put a cost on safety and the value of a human life.