Augmenting SC’s trooper force

The first to be called when an accident such as Saturday’s occurs in South Carolina is a state trooper. Budget cuts, however, have reduced the force statewide which means, at times, it’s hard to find troopers when you need them. State Senator Thomas Alexander wants to change that. Alexander met last week in Oconee County with officials of the State Public Safety Department. He told us Friday in Westminster he supports more troopers on the highways. At one time, South Carolina counted more than one thousand troopers. “Right now we’re around behind 800 and 900. Currently, we have appropriated in this year’s budget an additional 30 troopers,” Alexander said. He concedes that 30 new troopers, spread across the state, is a drop in the bucket, but he wants to see at least sixty new troopers next year.