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Oregon State Police (last updated September 25, 2004)
Arguing that President George W. Bush has ignored domestic security issues, Fahrenheit 9/11 shows the problems faced by the Oregon Department of State Police, an organization that has seen personnel cuts in recent years as the state has suffered through recession.
About 129 officers were laid off in January 2003 after voters rejected a measure that would have increased income tax rates for three years in order to make up for revenue shortfalls. According to Governor Ted Kulongski's 2003-05 budget, the State Police has seen the number of sworn officer positions reduced by about 20 percent in recent years.
As seen in Fahrenheit 9/11, the cuts have meant a reduced presence on Oregon's highways and in its rural areas. As of January 2003, there were about 330 patrol officers, which was about 50 less than the number in June 2000 and which the Oregonian newspaper's editorial board noted was "fewer than half the number of troopers who patrolled the state's less busy highways 20 years ago." The Governor's budget predicted that "[w]ith the reduced patrol strength, the Department will close or combine some offices and reduce coverage, particularly on secondary highways and in rural areas. Response to accidents, crimes, and requests for backup from state and local law enforcement will be affected. Arrests, citations, and truck inspections will be reduced."
A survey by the federal Department of Justice's Bureau of Labor Statistics found that in 2000, even before the recent budget cuts, Oregon had the lowest per capita ratio of uniformed officers whose regular duties included responding to calls for service. Oregon had 104 such officers per 100,000 people, compared to a nationwide average of 151 officers per 100,000 people and a state high of New York with 240 per 100,000.
The State Police has also cut the number of detectives who work on major crimes, terrorism and security issues, and has eliminated participation on local task forces in most parts of the state. About 80 positions and three labs in the state's forensic lab system were eliminated, increasing the backlog and turnaround time for such investigations.
In general, many states have seen fiscal problems in recent years. The National Governors Association reported in May 2004 that state revenues had been "exceedingly dismal" from FY 2001 through FY 2003, resulting in a record 37 states cutting their budgets in both FY 2002 and FY 2003. The NGA reported that some signs of improvement were indicated for FY 2004.
To help states fund counterterrorism efforts, the Department of Homeland Security awarded states a total of $2.2 billion in grants in 2004. Oregon received $32.5 million, while Washington received $44 million and California received $175.5 million, the most of any state. Texas received $115 million and New York received $103 million.
In any event, one lone Oregon State Police trooper is not the first line of defense against terrorists who might seek to enter the United States along its coastline. That is the job of the U.S. Coast Guard, which is the primary maritime law enforcement agency and intercepts people illegally trying to enter the United States by sea (primarily illegal migrants from the Caribbean or China, but not limited to such peoples). President George W. Bush's FY 2005 budget provided $1.9 billion for port security, including $1.7 billion for Coast Guard port, waterway, and coastal security activities.
Sources: Governor Ted Kulongski's 2003-05 public safety budget is on-line here. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, 2000 (available on-line here). Editorial, Dismantling the state police, Oregonian, January 31, 2003. Editorial, Oregon's ever thinner blue line, Oregonian, August 15, 2003.
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