Charlotte sees record number of new Highway Patrol troopers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dozens of new Highway Patrol troopers will be patrolling Wednesday across North Carolina, including a record number of new officers to monitor the Charlotte area.

There will be 30 new troopers reporting for duty. A third of those new troopers will head to the headquarters in Monroe and four of them will serve Mecklenburg County.

Channel 9 has reported on the shortage of troopers across the state.

The new recruits will help, but there will still be a gap.

Charlotte is bigger than it has ever been and the population continues to grow. Troopers in Mecklenburg County are responding to an average of 600 crashes a month.

Trooper Will Winchester said it's been a strain on the Highway Patrol's dwindling resources.

"We're losing between seven to 10 troopers per month to retirement," Winchester said.

Winchester has been tasked with recruiting more troopers. The department received funding last year to open additional training academies. Winchester said they've also focused more on mentoring prospects through the application process, which includes addressing any concerns over police and community relations.

"Many applicants have been willing to step up to the plate despite this current climate we're experiencing now," Winchester said. "They're willing to serve, willing to put this uniform on."

There are up to 180 vacancies across the state, including two in Mecklenburg County.

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