Tolls for troopers? Proposal suggests a way to help FHP hiring freeze

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council member sent the agency a proposal claiming there is a way to lift the trooper hiring freeze.

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Back in April, 9 Investigates reported that the Florida Highway Patrol would not hire more troopers until June 2025, despite currently having 102 vacancies and response times sometimes leading to waiting hours for help.

Paul Novack said that if the state used just 3.5% of the annual toll revenue, FHP would receive about $42 million.

“We could double the size of the agency, and we’ll take the handcuffs off our men and women in state police uniforms,” he said. “So, it’s long overdue.”

Read: FHP to stop raises for troopers, this on the heels of hiring freeze

Novack is the former mayor of Surfside and on the FHP Advisory Council, but he said he speaks for only himself on this proposal, writing in the proposal the following:

“Despite outstanding professionalism and devotion to public service, FHP is being forced to do much more, with much less, creating circumstances that virtually make public service and safety objectives impossible to attain.

“Here would be many more troopers. Our troopers would be much better paid, fully equipped, and they’d be able to do their job. That’s why I call the plan one that enables and expands the Florida highway patrol, and to try to avoid any delay because of opposition of anybody saying, ‘Well, I’m against tax hikes’ or ‘I’m against increases.’

Read: Why is there a hold on hiring at the Florida Highway Patrol?

“There’s nothing set in stone about this. It’s a statute that talks about how to divide up the total money. Well, the legislators’ job is to legislate, and all they need to do is amend that statute and say 3.5% of the turnpike toll would be allocated to add on to FHP get. It’s as simple as that. They could have done it on any session. They could have called the special session, but they’re busy doing other things. And what I’m trying to point out is this is urgent. This can’t wait. This is not some future dream. This is something that should have been done years ago and needs to be done now.”

There is a hiring freeze, and recently received raises will not continue.

Troopers and the president of the Police Benevolent Association confirmed to WFTV that the agency made a “rate allocation” of about $13 million without the legislature’s approval, which was not only questionable but also unsustainable.

Read: Person shot, suspect barricades in Orange County home, deputies say

They said that the Florida Highway Patrol is underfunded and operating in the red, but the agency has never gone into detail with 9 Investigates about their financials.

But Novack says that doesn’t matter, the state is flush with money and should use some of it right here,

“The political rhetoric about support for law enforcement does not match what goes on in the legislature when it comes time for budgeting. so there’s money for everything, but not for the Florida Highway Patrol,” he said. “And that has to stop.”

Today, there is a meeting with FHP members in Palm Beach. The proposal will be discussed there. We will keep you posted on the response.

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