Arizona DPS has graduated 27 years of troopers amid law enforcement shortages

PHOENIX (AZ Family) – The Arizona Department of Public Safety added 27 new troopers as cadets and side officers graduated Thursday and continued to patrol the state’s highways.

However, despite the new additions, police agencies and departments across the state are facing a critical shortage of officers.

The graduates will add to the nearly 1,000 troopers who patrol state highways, but the agency is still about 500 short.

In April, the group of 27 began the challenging journey to become state troops. On Thursday, they graduated class 36.

“We’ve had our ups and downs, so it’s a relief to be here,” Darlene Cordova said. “I’m finally making my dream come true.”

Graduating cadets expressed their enthusiasm to help reduce that number and make the community safer.

However, the Arizona State Troopers Association says more needs to be done.

“This is why you don’t see them. Not because I don’t work hard. Because there are so few,” union president Jeff Hawkins said. “We’ve been operating with staff since the 1990s, so we haven’t kept up with the population.”

“Pima and Maricopa counties are currently the only ones with 24-hour personnel,” he explained. “So I-40, I-10 to Tucson, I-10 from Casa Grande and I-8 to San Diego are all areas that are currently on guard. So if you drop your car or something happens, we have to wake someone up to answer you.”

DPS is not alone; many police departments are struggling to fill positions.

There are more than 600 police officer jobs in Phoenix alone. Plus 50 in Mesa, 32 in Glendale, 21 in Gilbert, 13 in Peoria, 12 in Scottsdale and nine in Chandler.

Many departments have increased recruiting efforts and are paying to remain competitive. However, Hawkins says the starting salary for a state trooper is about $65,000.

That’s less than the Valley police departments, which are around $70,000.

“Our total pay is 28 percent behind the market, which is considerable,” Hawkins said. “When you’re 15 or 16 years on the pay scale, we find that becomes a recruiting problem.”

Hawkins is pushing for change at the Arizona State Capitol, asking the governor’s office to fund a pay raise for troopers, detectives and dispatchers.

“Without a payment plan and an adjustment, I just don’t see us getting over the hump,” he said.

Hawkins says DPS has 256 employees currently eligible for retirement, adding to the agency’s concern.

However, there is good news. The next recruiting class is larger than that, and the agency aims to bring in 50 graduates in each class.

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