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State Police Target of Quinn's Proposed Budget Cuts
(IRN)--The head of the union which represents the troopers, agents, and sergeants of the Illinois State Police says the governor's suggestion that next year's budget skip the hiring and training of new troopers is dangerous.

"The Illinois State Police would not exist as the public expects us to exist," says Mike Powell, president of Troopers' Lodge 41 of the Fraternal Order of Police. "We would have to become only a reactionary agency; we would not be able to be proactive."

Powell says the State Police have about 1,800 sworn members, a number that retirements could take to -- with no reinforcements -- about 1,300 by the end of next year. He says years ago, there were more than 2,000 troopers and fewer responsibilities. Now the responsibilities include SWAT, Medicaid fraud investigation, and sex offender registry enforcement.

(Source:Illinois Radio Network)
02 17 11 by Newsroom
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