Virginia State Police Stretched Thin

That is why we have a high crime rate! first thing they cut is fire and police.. Then they cry when they get robbed!

Where does the 600 number come from. Two classes of 63 leaves them 126 Officers short. throwing wild nubers out there can be counter productive. I doubt if they will increase the force by 600 in this lifetime

One obvious problem challenging recruitment for VSP is their ridiculous basic training program:
"The first 14 weeks are at the Academy, followed by four weeks of field training. Students then return to the Academy for 16 weeks. Following academy graduation, troopers have an additional six to eight weeks of field training."
It takes 40 to 42 weeks just to get one trooper on the road.
Most basic police training academy classes run 16 to 24 weeks in length followed by 6 to 12 weeks of field training. BASIC police training is easily accomplished in four to six months. As any veteran cop knows, you learn the real job working on the street with follow-up training in specialized areas of interest, mandated in-service training and regular re-qualifications (ie: legal updates, technology, firearms, etc). The academy phase is the foundation of the elements of the job. The field training phase is just the initial introduction to the real world of policing. Experience and continuing education is the key to the making and working of a good cop.
Much like every other large agency, VSP has learned that retirement (including disability-related retirement), resignations, terminations and light/restricted duty all have a grave effect on maintaining personnel to effective levels. Proper deployment in critical areas is also one of the most basic elements of successful operation and staffing (patrol, specialized units, etc).
In recent time, many agencies nationwide have established lateral career opportunities for experienced police officers. The basic concept is that an agency will gain the benefit of employing an experienced police officer that requires minimal training. Hence, a police officer that they can put on the street in less time and with less overall expense.
There are still many agencies that refuse to overcome the absurd notion of "tradition" by requiring all new hires to complete their entire basic training academy. While this mindset and approach works with inexperienced recruits, it's an outdated concept to employ for veteran, working cops.
The lateral officer concept works to the advantage of both employer and employee in every aspect ... not only in poor economic times, but in the professional law enforcement field in general.

I work as a deputy sheriff for an agency in Virginia and the VSP is responsible for working all the accidents in our county as part of the agreement between agencies. But more often times than not, it takes the trooper 30 minutes to arrive. Its not the trooper's fault because they are so understaffed. My county is 107 square miles and the one trooper working can be on the other end of the county when an accident occurs, or he/she is in court or working another accident. When you only have one trooper working a county or two working a 25 mile stretch of interstate, what do you expect, but it is very dangerous for them making them so short handed. Troopers leave the VSP everyday for better pay and better jobs that don't run them ragged. I always wanted to be a Trooper, but not the way things are today. The troopers are also being forced to drive cars with more miles and less money to fix them. I get a new patrol car every 100,000 miles, but they have to make theirs last until 150,000. It is very dangerous to drive a car with that many miles in a pursuit or enroute to a accident at high speeds. I feel sorry for the Troopers in Virginia and wish they could get the funding they need to the job safely.

VSP has a bad reputation for writing tickets to other officers.

I would lateral tranfer if they accepted them. To bad for them.

For years, I have heard rumors about VSP stopping and citing police officers both on and off duty. Whatever the circumstance, it is not in the professional interest (and sometimes legal interest) for ANY police officer/trooper to stop (or attempt to stop) any on duty marked police vehicle. In some states, it's unlawful to do so ... and in some states, an arrest warrant or state's attorney consultation is required BEFORE a stop is made and charges are cited. Off duty officers/troopers should use common sense when driving. Period. On the same token, on duty officers/troopers should use common sense and professional courtesy when it appropriate.

In the case of marked police vehicle convoys (yes, that's plural - it's happened more than once) being stopped in Virginia, it is simply outrageous. As far as individual state lwas and department policies go, those convoys were ON DUTY and traveling WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF OFFICIAL DUTY.

Here is the official story about VSP stopping the NYPD caravan going to and from the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts:

http://nypdconfidential.com/columns/2005/050930.html

And the story about a New Jersey convoy being stopped in Virginia:

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/06/681.asp

In nearly two decades as a police officer, I have stopped many, many off duty police officers for traffic violations. During those times, I have issued no tickets and made no arrests. There are alternatives to citing and arresting off duty cops: verbal warning, calling their supervisor or just assisting the officer reach their destination safely. All options are, of course, dependent upon the violation at hand.
Remember, we are all that we have out there on the street ... each other. The legendary conversation between an overzealous on duty officer and the off duty officer during a traffic stop bears truth:
After signing the ticket, the off duty officer says, "Just remember, I could be your closest backup out here."

I can in contact with a vehicle that struck a fix object at 21st and Washington Circle NW Washington, D.C. The vehicle was an unmarked VSP vehicle occuppied by 4 VSP officer. All of them had been drinking. knowing what there fate would be if I'd taken a report I had them make a call and two other off duty VSP officer responded to my location, sober, and I allow all to leave. I figured it was up to them to explain to there supervisor the damage to the unmarked cruiser. Now if they had struck another vehicle civilian driver or pedestrian there would have been a different outcome.

Shortly after that I was driving southbound on Rt.29 in Nelson County, VA at 0300hrs and was stopped by a VSP for doing 67 in a 55. I never identified myself as a police officer, probably because I had FOP licence plate, and he never inquiried, and wrote me a speeding ticket. He never spoke a word.

A month later I stoped a civilain vehicle driven by a off duty VSP trooper for a traffic violation, he immediately produced ID and I told him to that a nice day.

VSP is really short on professional courtesy.

Once I was traveling southbound Rt. 29 in Culpepper, VA. and a trooper was traveling north. I observed him in my rear view mirror he made a u-turn and he pulled me over. He said he stopped me for having a radar detector. Noticing my tags he ask if I was a police officer and if I was armed. I answerewd in the affirmative to the firsst question and that my gun was in the truck. He ask to see it, I popped the truck and told him it was in the briefcase. He reached in the briefcase removed the holstered revolver, removed the revolver from the holster, open the cylinder of the two inch Colt Detective Special and dumped the rounds out all over the truck and then holstered the gun and placed it back in the briefcase. We walked back to the driverside front door where he discovered what he thought was a radar detector wasn't. I'm still trying to figure out what that was all about.

VSP frequently in Georgetown off duty armed and they are never hassled. I've answered calls for a man with a gun to a bar or nightclub and upon finding out the person(s) in question were VSP that settled that. Other than someone seeing a gun on them they had done nothing wrong so as far as I was concerned "Have a nice evening, end of story.

Many LEO's visit the Nations Capitol and all professional courtesy is extended to them. VA is the worst state I've traveled through when it comes to professional courtesy.

One reason why the Virginia State Police is so understaffed is because they don't allow lateral transfers. The Texas DPS also has staffing shortages because of their stubborn resistance to change. If you are hurting so bad for officers, why not implement a lateral hiring program? As far as professional courtesy is concerned, I'd never be a Texas trooper and it sounds like the VA state police have this attitude also. The highway patrol troopers think they are better and more professional than municipal or county police. Screw them for thinking this!!! I'd love to see a trooper patrol in the hood wearing that stupid cowboy hat!! They'd get laughed at, cussed out, or drop an assist for help!! I've shown lots of officers professional courtesy, even when they acted a little rude. I love how the Texas troopers get you out of your vehicle on side of the highway, even if you are in full uniform!! Way to show some courtesy jerks!! Anyway, I digress, the VA state police should start a lateral hiring program, treat potential recruits nicer, and up their pay, maybe then the staffing problem might be alleviated.