Governor Bentley Details Legislative Budget Cuts to Public Safety

DOTHAN—Governor Robert Bentley on Monday met with state law enforcement officers in Dothan to discuss the current budget crisis in the General Fund and the impact to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency if the Legislature’s severe cuts are enacted. If the cuts are passed by the Legislature, the Houston County Trooper Post will be forced to close.

“We are facing a tremendous crisis in our General Fund Budget that will drastically impact public safety if not addressed by the Alabama Legislature,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “I am committed to finding new revenue so that state agencies, like the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, can continue to provide essential public safety departments to Alabamians. For decades, we have failed to address the way our non-education state agencies are funded. With no one-time money available to support the General Fund and debts that are owed, we have a significant crisis on our hands. I encourage the residents of Houston County to let their elected representatives know that closing the Dothan Trooper Post is unacceptable.”

The Alabama Legislature is considering a proposal that deeply cuts funding for state services. Each state agency was created by law to provide specific services to taxpayers. If enacted, these cuts will put the state in a position incapable of providing many of the essential services of government.

The specific cuts to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency include:
• Layoff 99 of 431 Highway Patrol Troopers

May result in the State having to pay back COPS grants of approximately $12 million.
The agency is staffed at 42% of the recommended level to adequately patrol Alabama’s roadways.

• Close 13 Trooper Posts:

Grove Hill (Clarke Co.)
Evergreen (Conecuh Co.)
Dothan (Houston Co.)
Selma (Dallas Co.)
Opelika (Lee Co.)
Alexander City (Tallapoosa Co.)
Jacksonville (Calhoun Co.)
Gadsden (Etowah Co.)
Huntsville (Madison Co.)
QuadCities (Lauderdale/Colbert)
Hamilton (Marion Co.)
Tuscaloosa (Tuscaloosa Co.)
Troy (Pike Co.)

• ALEA will be forced to shut down 33 of 78 stand-alone state Driver License Offices.
• Layoff 25 of 147 Special Agents in SBI
• Layoff 8 of 31 Capitol Police
• Layoff Aviation Staff and Fleet Management Staff
• Layoff 2/3 of all non-sworn personnel within ALEA
• Shut down Agriculture and Rural Crime Unit, no assistance to locals for such investigations
• Removal of ALEA resources assisting rural cities/counties
• Limited operational security for events such as Talladega Races, football security and traffic direction details, Mardi Gras, Footwash, Bike Rally, and Selma to Montgomery March.
• Due to reduced personnel, ALEA’s ability to respond to natural disasters throughout the state would be crippled.

In a situation similar to the February 2015 Ice Storms, 69% of ALEA Troopers would be required for response resulting in over half of the state without Troopers available to handle accidents and calls for service.
Reduced personal would limit ALEA’s ability to assist ALDOT and ALNG with Hurricane Evacuation resulting in slower evacuation times.
ALEA would have limited manpower to assist AEMA during activations for disasters. Per the Alabama Emergency Operation Plan.

• Reduced personnel will limit coordination of the 8 state-wide ALEA Homeland Security Law Enforcement Teams and the Critical Response Teams would be eliminated.

In February, Governor Bentley presented his budget plan with additional revenue for the General Fund that would avoid the devastating cuts. Governor Bentley’s budget solution includes additional revenue in the form of fair taxes and will cover the revenue shortfall in the General Fund and pay off millions of dollars in debt the state owes. Details on the Governor’s revenue package can be found here.

“Now is the time for real solutions to address our budget challenges. I was elected to solve problems, and I urge members of the Legislature to work with me to put this state on a successful path forward. By working together, we can make Alabama better for future generations,” Bentley added.