Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Progress Report: Florida Highway Patrol Fails to Achieve Savings or Demonstrate Impact of Adding Troopers

Report 01-29, June 2001




Report Summary

In 1999, we recommended that the Florida Highway Patrol avoid $842,036 in hiring costs and save $833,823 annually by

  • hiring civilians for court liaison, polygraph examiner, and public information officer positions;
  • modifying the dispatcher dress code;
  • using a networked garage company;
  • changing to a single standard color for patrol cars; and
  • assigning sedans instead of pursuit vehicles to administrative staff.
These savings are still achievable. However, FHP has realized only $9,159 per year by partially implementing one recommendation. The patrol has begun issuing sedans instead of pursuit vehicles to administrative staff, but it has failed to follow the other recommendations.

Furthermore, the patrol needs to establish a demonstrable link between new trooper positions and measurable outcomes such as shorter response times, decreased crashes, and reduced drunk driving.


Related Reports
  1. Florida Highway Patrol, Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles
    Report 98-87 June 1999
  2. Assessing Privatization in State Agency Programs
    Report 98-64 February 1999
  3. Review of the Florida Highway Patrol's Traffic Accident Investigation Activity on Local Roads
    Report 97-47 February 1998
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
transportation, highway safety, highway patrol, traffic enforcement, state roads, traffic homicide, academy, recruits, safety belts, sworn-officer, network garage, pursuit vehicles