Louisiana won't train new state troopers for a fifth year under the budget proposal being considered by lawmakers.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana won't train new state troopers for a fifth year under the budget proposal being considered by lawmakers.
Louisiana State Police Col. Mike Edmonson told lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee that he's comfortable with the number of troopers patrolling the highways, about 575. That's down from more than 700 four years ago.
Gov. Bobby Jindal didn't include the estimated $3.7 million that it would cost to pay for a new trooper class, their salaries and benefits in his budget proposal for the new fiscal year that begins July 1.
Rep. Bubba Chaney, a Republican from Rayville, said Wednesday he's concerned about the thinning of trooper ranks.
Edmonson assured lawmakers combing through the budget that he doesn't need to train a new cadet class until 2015.