Audit finds Texas border program creates trooper shortages elsewhere

Source: Dallas Morning News

12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, August 23, 2009
The Associated Press

McALLEN, Texas – A Texas program to boost law enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border is contributing to a critical trooper shortage in the Texas Department of Public Safety, according to a state audit.

An audit of the department by a state commission found that the program, dubbed Operation Border Star, contributed to a "critical personnel shortage" at the department, "weakening its ability to protect the public."

The program temporarily reassigns troopers from other parts of the state to the border.

<snip>

Gov. Rick Perry started Operation Border Star in 2007 to help combat drug smuggling and other crime along the border.

DPS declined to say how many troopers are assigned to Border Star at any time, but the audit found that the program "causes a loss of personnel available to focus on traditional law enforcement duties."


Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-troopers_23tex.ART.State.Edition1.4c4a57d.html

They did an audit, and through careful study, and I assume some expense, came to the conclusion
that if the State of Texas takes some of their troopers and assigns them to one of part of the state,
those troopers will not be able to be in another part of the state doing....trooper duties, thereby
creating a shortfall of troopers in the part of the state where the troopers are not?

Shouldn't that have been one of the FIRST questions asked when they assigned the troopers in the first place???

Maybe I need more coffee.
Maybe I just like typing the word "troopers"....makes them sound all "mo-bile" like.

"39% Landslide" Perry here, the governor who didn't get 61% of the votes, but because Texas has no runoff, is governor anyway.

hmmm