Nevada Highway Patrol trying to retain, hire troopers

CARSON CITY — In an effort to bring the Nevada Highway Patrol up to full staffing, the department is training 50 potential recruits at semiannual, 26-week academies, the Senate Transportation Committee learned Monday.

Nevada Highway Patrol Director Chris Perry said the current 77 vacancies are due, in part, to trooper pay being about 35 percent to 45 percent lower than entry-level officer pay in Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas police departments.

Because of the recession and decline in local government revenue, Perry said there has been less “pilfering” of troopers than in previous years. But with a recovery, he expects the raiding to restart.

“It costs $100,000 a person to put them through the academy,” Perry said. “It is very expensive. I don’t know if we can keep them when the local government (economies) improve.”

He said the officers themselves often discover they need higher pay as they progress in their careers and move to other departments in the state or other states

A first-year trooper earns $46,242 but is required to take unpaid furloughs. Second-year troopers’ pay rises to $52,648.

The Henderson Police Department pays its officers a minimum of $55,577, according to its website, but is not accepting applications.

Neither Las Vegas or North Las Vegas salary information could not be immediately obtained on Monday.

Both of the departments have suffered hundreds of officer layoffs in recent years.

Sheriff Doug Gillespie plans to ask legislators for a ¼-cent increase in sales taxes to fund the department.

A police salary website reported Las Vegas police officers’ entry-level pay at $47,877 in 2007.

Perry said that while trooper salaries have been declining for the past five years, it would be beneficial if legislators in July back Gov. Brian Sandoval’s plan to reduce unpaid furlough days from six to three per year and restore merit pay in July 2014.

The Nevada Highway Patrol employs 830 sworn officers.