CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- In Mecklenburg County, 28 state troopers patrol 111 miles of interstates.

Every one of them will soon be forced to take 10 hours unpaid time off, a combined 280 hours. It's all part of a plan by Gov. Bev Perdue to save money.

Her plan requires all state workers to take 10 hours off between June 1 and the end of the year, and that includes all public safety agencies.

Several troopers told Eyewitness News they worry that cutting back hours will mean less enforcement on speeders, slower response to accidents and fewer checkpoints to target drunken drivers. But Highway Patrol officials disagree, saying they will schedule the off time over several months to minimize the impact.

“As far as supervisors, this is something we've faced before -- a possible man shortage -- so we will adapt,” said Trooper Mark Helms.

The cuts will also impact the 55 employees at the Cabarrus Correctional Center in Mt. Pleasant. Bill Glick runs the prison and said that under this latest round of cuts, he expects to be able to staff the prison so it's never below the critical minimum, a level that requires four workers on the prison grounds at all times.

While Glick would like to have more than that, he said it likely won't happen with the cuts.

Glick said his officers are more worried that deeper cutbacks could still be on the way.

“I am concerned about the future because we are living under a tight budget right now,” he said.

The furloughs were Perdue's decision. Eyewitness News wanted to know why public safety employees were included, so anchor Blair Miller asked the governor.

“What do you say to the people who worry public safety could be compromised?” Miller asked.

“Well, I ask people who find an example rather than a worry to come to me. We all have a lot of worries right now,” Perdue said.

Resident Denise Cornick said she understands that, but she believes public safety agencies should be exempt from cutbacks.

“I'm concerned about that. It's important because you have loved ones out there who need to be watched over,” she said.

Perdue countered, “I've been told by all of the departments that there will be no impairment to public safety.”

Some state workers said they believe it won’t be clear how big of an impact the furloughs will make until they begin June 1.