State police officials came before the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday to defend what's left of their proposed operating budget.
Louisiana State Police aren’t getting any money from the state general fund under the governor’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year and their operating budget has seen a decrease of $65 million dollars.
Over the past few years, no new sheriffs have been hired and there’s a chunk due to retire in the coming years.
When Superintendent of State Police Colonel Michael Edmondson was asked if he has plans to open another training academy for new recruits, he said that wouldn’t make sense.
“Bottom line is, if I have cuts within my agency, it’s within personnel. It’s going to be difficult to have a class and hire people, if I have to lay them off if cuts continue," Edmondson said.
Chairman Jim Fannin told the Colonel, “I wish I could tell you we were at the end – but we’re not at the bottom yet.”
Appropriations meetings continue this week. Changes to the budget will be debated in the upcoming session.