State Patrol

[ctadam12]

I read today that the Milwauke Sheriff is asking the state to patrol the freeways. What freq. would they work?

 

[RevGary]

If this follows the same protocols as other Districts, they will be on their regular 154.665 repeater with liaison available in-car to the county frequency if backup is needed. That is the way that it is handled in Northeast Region (D-3) and Northcentral Region (D-4) - Perhaps Stateboy can refine that a bit because I believe that he is in Southeast Region (D-2) and may have heard something else...

 

[OpSec]

The current Sheriff has asked more than once, which is the first time in a long time. There have been meetings. Will it happen? Not any time soon. We'd have to nearly double the amount of sworn staff in this region to accomodate 3 shifts of Milwaukee county coverage...that's not happening any time soon either, if ever. As it sits, the state (DOT) subsidizes MCSO to patrol I-94 in Milwaukee County. That agreement has been in place for many decades, and won't change any time soon. Should WSP be in there? From a money standpoint, Yes...we are paying for it anyway, so it may as well be us. The problem for Milwaukee county is they would lose the $$ from the MCSO Patrol division if WSP is writing the tickets...but not really, since the money for citations written by WSP goes into the county in which they were wrote. It's all politics.

Futthermore, politics prevent adding on to the State Patrol, as Wisconsin is a home rule state (<-- click for info) and the State has limited enforcement powers over most things, not just law enforcement. The State Patrol was given a very narrow mission and operational area to work in...Traffic. That, coupled with the state law limiting the sworn strength, means we can't even think about going into Milwaukee county. Should it change? Yes Will it change? Probably not because the local PD's and Sheriffs detest the State Patrol and every time the switch to a DPS or State Police comes up, the idea is shot down ASAP as it would step on their toes. Under home rule, the political power lies with the local government, so as long as all the political associations detest the State Patrol, our role in law enforcement will never change. I'm not here to argue politics, but now you know why.

Long story short: No.

 

[ctadam12]

WOW. I'm from California where CHP patrols the freeways, period...they are also responsible for traffic on all unincorporated roads as well...also CHP officers are cops with FULL powers..no half ass crap. So where does the WSP patrol?

 

[OpSec]

Like the armpatch and door shield says: Wisconsin

Only place we don't go is the Indian reservations, unless requested for mutual aid. Every county in the state has at least one trooper. Now whether they work in that county is a different story.

We have criminal arrest authority, but if it's not traffic related then generally we don't handle it.

 

[SCPD]

That's how a lot of states are. Most state police and highway patrols are there for traffic. Most of them don't handle service calls unless mutual aided. Here in Omaha the state patrol only patrols the major highways and handles no service calls and they are rarely ask them for mutual aid.

Unlike in Dodge County, WI the sheriff will ask the state patrol to handle service calls if they don't have any units available or close (mutual aid). If something happens on 41 or 151 they usually give that to state patrol.

 

[SCPD]

Who handles the traffic accident investigations on the interstate in Milwaukee county? State or local.

 

[OpSec]

Who handles the traffic accident investigations on the interstate in Milwaukee county? State or local.

Sheriff, unless one of my cars happens upon it. We'll call MCSO and ask if they want us to handle it since we are already there. Sometimes they take it, sometimes we write it. On a line officer level, we work well with MCSO. The complications come into play further up the food chain.

 

[GTO_04]

Like the armpatch and door shield says: Wisconsin

Only place we don't go is the Indian reservations, unless requested for mutual aid. Every county in the state has at least one trooper. Now whether they work in that county is a different story.

We have criminal arrest authority, but if it's not traffic related then generally we don't handle it.

So would it be typical for a county up in northern Wisconsin, like Ashland, Bayfield or Iron, to have only one trooper? When driving up there I rarely see troopers unless I am Douglas or Washburn County, which are closer to District HQ.

GTO_04

 

[OpSec]

So would it be typical for a county up in northern Wisconsin, like Ashland, Bayfield or Iron, to have only one trooper? When driving up there I rarely see troopers unless I am Douglas or Washburn County, which are closer to District HQ.

GTO_04

Yeah, pretty much...I don't have exact staffing numbers, but I'd think it's a safe guess to say only a few guys per county up there. The only counties that have enough staffing for 24/7 operation are the counties with I-90 or I-94 passing through them.