Kansas Highway Patrol

In 1933, the Kansas Legislature, Governor Alfred Landon, and Highway Department Attorney Wint Smith acted to halt the rampant bank robberies and crime sprees of the 1920s and 1930s. They created a force of ten Motor Vehicle Inspectors, forerunners of Kansas Troopers, under the control of the State Highway Commission.[7]

The Legislature officially organized the Kansas Highway Patrol in 1937. A superintendent, assistant superintendent, and 45 troopers were hired to reduce crashes by enforcing traffic, vehicle, and license laws. Kansas City Police Department veteran Jack B. Jenkins was the first superintendent.[7]

The Governor appointed a Superintendent, and the Superintendent appointed the remainder of the Patrol. All appointees had to pass a physical exam and be U.S. citizens, at least 24 years old, of good health and moral character, and without a criminal record. The 1941 Kansas Civil Service Law affected appointment procedures, but as late as 1945, half the appointees had to belong to the governor's political party, and the other half had to be members of the political party that garnered the second highest number of votes in the gubernatorial election.[7]

In the 1950s, the patrol was contracted to patrol the Kansas Turnpike Authority, and Protective Services began with one Trooper providing ground transportation for the Governor. The recruit school moved from the State Reformatory in Hutchinson to the University of Kansas (KU) in Lawrence. Increasingly, troopers patrolled alone. Before, they always rode in pairs.[7]

In the 1960s, each trooper was assigned a patrol car to improve roadway coverage, and access to the Law Enforcement Teletype System and National Crime Information Center improved the patrol's communications. The first promotional examinations were given, and the former ready-alert facility of the deactivated Schilling Air Force Base in Salina became the patrol's Training Center. Also, the Motor Vehicle Department began examining license applicants, releasing Trooper-Examiners to law enforcement duties.[7]

In 1976, the patrol gained authority over the Capitol Area Security Patrol, which now commonly referred to as the Kansas Capitol Police, or Troop K. In 1988, the responsibility to enforce motor carrier laws was passed from the Department of Revenue to the patrol. As a result, the Patrol inherited Motor Carrier Inspectors and began operation of Motor Carrier Weigh Stations across the state.[7]

In the 1990s, the Patrol had outgrown its training center. The state took over the former Marymount College campus in Salina, to house the training academy, statewide communications center and central region offices.[8][9]

The first female troopers joined the patrol in 1981. Today, the agency actively recruits women and men to be troopers and to fill other uniformed and civilian positions. Besides Troopers, the agency employs Capitol Police Officers, Capitol Area Guards, Motor Carrier Inspectors, Communications Specialists, Vehicle Identification Number Inspectors, Motorist Assistance Technicians, and civilians in a variety of other support positions.[7]

In 2014, amidst many allegations of abuse of power and inconsistent work practices resulting in overall low morale, the University of Kansas School of Business proctored a thorough survey of all KHP Employees that were willing to participate. The results of the survey revealed that the majority held great loyalty to the agency, but believed upper-level command staff needlessly doled out disciplinary actions to those they personally disliked, showed favoritism during promotional processes, and were generally incompetent when it came to making important decisions regarding the overall direction of the patrol. Colonel Ernest Garcia and Lieutenant Colonel Alan Stoecklein were both mentioned by name multiple times in an open-ended section at the end of the survey where employees could comment freely. Kansas State Troopers Association President Mitch Mellick said that the survey revealed concerns that had long been held by troopers across the state regarding labor practices and benefits. Lieutenant Colonel Stoecklein soon thereafter announced his retirement, effective September 15, 2014 and Colonel Ernest Garcia announced he was leaving the agency on January 5, 2015.[10][11][12]

The Kansas Highway Patrol is under the direction of the superintendent, who holds the rank of colonel. The superintendent is appointed by the Governor of Kansas. The superintendent appoints an assistant superintendent who holds the rank of lieutenant colonel to assist them. Under the assistant superintendent are five executive commanders who hold the rank of major. These officers comprise the executive command staff of the Patrol.[13]

The Patrol is organized into several divisions, and each are overseen by an executive commander. Each division or region is further divided by its geographical area of responsibility (known as a "troop") or its function. Each troop or functional group is overseen by a commander who holds the rank of captain. Administrative groups are overseen by a civilian director. Each troop is further divided into "zones" of one or several counties. Each zone is overseen by a field supervisor who holds the rank of lieutenant.[13]

Officers of the Kansas Highway Patrol begin their career as trooper trainees in the training academy at a base hourly rate. Upon graduation, a pay increase occurs, followed by another the beginning of their fourth year. Upon their fifth year, troopers are eligible for promotion to Master or Technical Trooper with an accompanying increase in pay. Additional years of service and experience qualify troopers for promotion to lieutenant (pay grade 36), captain (pay grade 38), and major (pay grade 38).[14]

Troopers' retirement is administered by the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) which provides a defined benefit plan, the Kansas Police and Firemen's Retirement System (KP&F).[15] Contributions are made on a pre-tax basis each pay period, with 7.15% of gross earnings withdrawn automatically. Tier I retirees (those employees who were enrolled in KP&F before July 1, 1989 and did not choose Tier II coverage) and Tier II retirees (all employees hired on or before July 1, 1989 or those who were hired earlier and chose Tier II coverage) may retire and are vested at different times.[16]

In addition to the provided pension, employees are eligible to enroll in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) 457(b) deferred compensation plan, known as KPERS 457.[17]

Since the establishment of the Kansas Highway Patrol, 10 officers have died in the line of duty.[25][26]

• List of law enforcement agencies in Kansas
• State police
• Highway patrol
• Kansas Bureau of Investigation

• Official website
• Kansas Highway Patrol publications at KGI Online Library