I never thought I would say that. And I hate that I’m saying now.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol was founded in 1933. We are just seven short years away from our 100 year anniversary. At this rate, we may not make it. And if we do, we may only be a shell of what we should be.
The public overwhelmingly supports the Wyoming Highway Patrol, and we are grateful for each and everyone of you that do. But the full story is rarely told and even more rarely understood. Wyoming’s Troopers are grossly underpaid, understaffed, and overworked.
The average starting pay for surrounding state agencies is approximately $80,957, while Wyoming’s is approximately $60,949. This has created poor recruitment and even worse, poor retention. Wyoming is currently ranked 44 of the 49 state agencies across the country in pay (Hawaii does not have a state agency).
Yet when a massive interstate pileup shuts down commerce and travel, it is the Wyoming Highway Patrol that is called.
I have witnessed incredible acts of heroism by fellow Troopers. I have stood face-to-face with unimaginable grief, meeting people at the worst moments of their lives. Some days, I come home from a shift on an emotional high after helping and meeting amazing people. I have come home and collapsed into my wife’s arms, tears running down my face, begging her to hold me after responding to a call where a two-year-old child was run over.
I have taught young drivers the life-altering consequences of distracted and impaired driving. I have attended countless community and school events. I have helped stranded motorists in whiteout blizzard conditions. I have stood in blowing snow at road closures, warning drivers of deadly hazards ahead. I have missed birthdays, school concerts, and family milestones. I have suffered traumatic injuries in a crash during a high-speed pursuit. I have picked up the remains of someone’s son, daughter, friend, or neighbor from cold asphalt.
I am not alone, this is what Wyoming State Troopers do every single year. Over and over again.
However, your Troopers are leaving. These Troopers are not leaving law enforcement. They are leaving Wyoming.
They are leaving because of a lack of support from the Wyoming Legislature.
When pay studies are used, they are often two or more years behind. Troopers are currently proposed to be moved to the 2024 pay study, despite the fact that it is now 2026 and the cost of living has skyrocketed.
What does this mean?
Experienced, high-quality Troopers are leaving for better-paying agencies. Patrol areas have been reorganized into much larger sections. Staffing is already stretched dangerously thin. Today, it is not uncommon for a single Trooper to cover four counties at once.
That means:
- Fewer Troopers responding when your family member is trapped in a crash
- Fewer Troopers investigating crashes similar to the one in the Green River tunnels only a year ago
- Fewer Troopers intercepting hundreds of pounds of controlled substances and arresting violent criminals
- Fewer Troopers rescuing children and exploited youth from human trafficking
If this continues, Wyoming will not attract quality applicants. Why would a capable candidate accept lower pay, longer hours, and higher stress when local agencies and surrounding state agencies pay more and are adequately staffed? The inevitable result will be lower quality policing, not because Troopers don’t care, but because the system failed us.
And all of this is entirely preventable.
Right now, Troopers are carrying the weight of traumatic calls, leadership pressure, frustration from partner agencies demanding more Trooper coverage, and serious financial strain all at once. And still, they show up for Wyoming every day.
But how long can that last?
It is unfortunate that the Wyoming Legislature is unaware of the struggles we face, or that the misinformation provided to them has misled their understanding of these serious problems.
It does not have to be this way.
The Wyoming Legislature can fix this by doing the right thing: fully funding WYDOT and properly supporting the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the very people tasked with keeping Wyoming’s roads, communities, legislators, and Governor safe.
A WHP Trooper…