SC Troopers’ RIP Plan

Columbia, SC—They are necessary for our roads, but pretty soon, there will be fewer troopers on our highways:

Sid Gaulden, SC Department of Public Safety: “It’s all part of trying to manage the limited amount of state dollars that we do have.“

Department of Public Safety spokesman Sid Gaulden says to cut what they must, they’re offering incentive plans.

One plan offers eligible employees up to three years early retirement. The other offers employees 70% of their annual base salary…to walk away.

So far, roughly 39 of the 1000 troopers in the state have agreed to leave their jobs. That includes several troopers in Aiken…which means those remaining may have to go the extra mile.

Gaulden: “People have been more than willing to step up, take on more responsibility, to see that we get the job done.”

Gaulden says major collisions will be handled as quickly as possible, but he says some delays are inevitable:

Gaulden: “I had 8 people working in the office with me, now we have one, it’s me. So we’ve been through the budget cuts before, and things will turn around…it’s cyclical, just like anything else.“

Gaulden says it’s too soon to know exactly how many troopers will be transferred or promoted to fill in the gaps…

And as the department waits for the dust to settle, they’re also bracing for yet another round of bad news:

Gaulden: “There will be additional cuts.“

Gaulden says, at the end of every year about 50 troopers either retire or find other jobs. That, coupled with the troopers leaving now, might mean the real shortage will be seen next year.

Employees with the Department of Public Safety have until February 2, to decide if they are going to take either of these incentive plans.