Kansas Highway Patrol

Kansas Highway Patrol
Patch of the Kansas Highway Patrol
Logo of the Kansas Highway Patrol
Badge of the Kansas Highway Patrol
Flag of Kansas
Abbreviation	KHP
Motto	Service · Courtesy · Protection
Agency overview
Formed	1937; 87 years ago (1937)
Preceding agency	Kansas Motor Vehicle Inspectors
Employees	738 (2023)[1]
Annual budget	$110,457,688 (2023)[2]
Legal personality	State agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Kansas, US
Kansas Highway Patrol Troop Map
Size	82,277 square miles (213,100 km2)
Population	2,937,150 (2022 est.)[3]
Legal jurisdiction	Statewide[4]
Primary governing body	Government of Kansas
Secondary governing body	Governor of Kansas
Constituting instrument	K.S.A. Ch. 74, Art. 21[5]
Operational structure
Headquarters	Topeka, Kansas
Sworn members	478 (authorised, as of 2023)[1]
Civilian members	271 Civilian members (2023)[1]
Agency executive	Colonel Erik Smith, Superintendent
Facilities
Troops / Units	27
Notables
Award	CALEA TRI-ARC Award[6]
Website
kansashighwaypatrol.org

The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) is the highway patrol agency for the U.S. state of Kansas. While the patrol's primary focus is maintaining the safety of State, Federal and Interstate highways, it also is charged with providing support for county agencies when tactical, aerial or other specialized services are needed. The Kansas Highway Patrol has statewide jurisdiction, and frequently assists other agencies with emergency calls for service.

In 2011, the KHP purchased the last-produced Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor for its fleet.^[7]

In 2014, amidst many allegations of abuse of power and inconsistent work practices resulting in overall low morale, the University of Kansas School of Business proctored a thorough survey of all KHP Employees that were willing to participate. The results of the survey revealed that the majority held great loyalty to the agency, but believed upper-level command staff needlessly doled out disciplinary actions to those they personally disliked, showed favoritism during promotional processes, and were generally incompetent when it came to making important decisions regarding the overall direction of the patrol. Colonel Ernest Garcia and Lieutenant Colonel Alan Stoecklein were both mentioned by name multiple times in an open-ended section at the end of the survey where employees could comment freely. Kansas State Troopers Association President Mitch Mellick said that the survey revealed concerns that had long been held by troopers across the state regarding labor practices and benefits. Lieutenant Colonel Stoecklein soon thereafter announced his retirement, effective September 15, 2014 and Colonel Ernest Garcia announced he was leaving the agency on January 5, 2015.^[8][9][10]

The Kansas Highway Patrol is under the direction of the superintendent, who holds the rank of colonel. The superintendent is appointed by the Governor of Kansas. The superintendent appoints an assistant superintendent who holds the rank of lieutenant colonel to assist them. Under the assistant superintendent are five executive commanders who hold the rank of major. These officers comprise the executive command staff of the Patrol.^[11]

The Patrol is organized into several divisions, and each are overseen by an executive commander. Each division or region is further divided by its geographical area of responsibility (known as a "troop") or its function. Each troop or functional group is overseen by a commander who holds the rank of captain. Administrative groups are overseen by a civilian director. Each troop is further divided into "zones" of one or several counties. Each zone is overseen by a field supervisor who holds the rank of lieutenant.^[11]

Title	Insignia	Description
Superintendent (Colonel)		The Superintendent holds the Rank of colonel, appointed by the Governor of Kansas to be the professional head of the Department
Assistant Superintendent (Lieutenant Colonel)		The Assistant Superintendent holds the Rank of lieutenant colonel, second-in-command of Patrol, appointed by the Superintendent
Major		Majors are Regional and Division Commanders
Captain		Captains are Troop Commander
Lieutenant		Lieutenants are First Line Supervisors
Technical Trooper		Rank held by veteran Troopers assigned to a technical specialty (e.g. Bomb Technicians, Aircraft Pilots, Canine Handlers, Task Force Officers, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement troopers,etc.).
Master Trooper		Rank attained by Trooper after completion of 5 years of service and completion of advanced professional training.
Trooper		Rank attained by Recruits upon successful completion of the training academy, responsible for field law enforcement patrol.
Trooper Trainee (Recruit)		This rank is held by law enforcement officers while attending the KHP training academy.

Officers of the Kansas Highway Patrol begin their career as trooper trainees in the training academy at a base hourly rate. Upon graduation, a pay increase occurs, followed by another the beginning of their fourth year. Upon their fifth year, troopers are eligible for promotion to Master or Technical Trooper with an accompanying increase in pay. Additional years of service and experience qualify troopers for promotion to lieutenant (pay grade 38), captain (pay grade 40), and major (pay grade 42).^[12]

Troopers' retirement is administered by the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) which provides a defined benefit plan, the Kansas Police and Firemen's Retirement System (KP&F).^[13] Contributions are made on a pre-tax basis each pay period, with 7.15% of gross earnings withdrawn automatically. Tier I retirees (those employees who were enrolled in KP&F before July 1, 1989 and did not choose Tier II coverage) and Tier II retirees (all employees hired on or before July 1, 1989 or those who were hired earlier and chose Tier II coverage) may retire and are vested at different times.^[14]

In addition to the provided pension, employees are eligible to enroll in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) 457(b) deferred compensation plan, known as KPERS 457.^[15]

State troopers are certified law enforcement officers who enforce Kansas laws. Troopers have law enforcement jurisdiction throughout the state.^[16]

The Kansas Capitol Police, as they are known today, are members of a specialty troop of the Kansas Highway Patrol (Troop K). The Capitol Police originally became part of the Kansas Highway Patrol in 1976, under the designation of Kansas Capitol Area Security Patrol, or C.A.S.P.

In the early days of C.A.S.P., the police officers of this special unit were statutorily only allowed to enforce laws on or about state property; leaving them powerless to act on a violation of the law when traveling from one property to another.

In 1995 The Kansas Legislature gave county wide law enforcement jurisdiction to the Capitol Police, and several years thereafter full statewide jurisdiction. With this added jurisdiction and the expanding role of C.A.S.P. legislation was also passed to officially change the name of the unit from C.A.S.P. to the Kansas Capitol Police.

Capitol Police Officers carry the same types of weapons and are issued the same types of equipment and vehicles as Kansas State Troopers. Although they are members of the Kansas Highway Patrol, they are considered “officers” not troopers, and wear slightly different uniforms. Most attended other police academies, not the trooper academy. In 2018, five Capitol Police officers attended the entire trooper academy but still graduated as Capitol police. In 2019, two more attended the trooper academy. Those who attended the full trooper academy are allowed to transfer out of Troop K and become a trooper have a specified amount of time in the Capitol.

Troop K is one of only two Kansas Highway Patrol Troops that provide 24-hour, 7-day-a-week police coverage. This coverage currently entails answering calls for service/patrolling over 100 state properties in Shawnee County Kansas, assisting other law enforcement agencies, investigation traffic accidents, intervening in crimes in progress, and traffic enforcement. The Capitol Police are also charged with providing uniformed police protection at the governor's mansion, the statehouse, the insurance regulation building, and the judicial center.^[17]

Current Firearms

Name	Type	Caliber	Origin	Notes
Glock 17 Gen 5	Pistol	9mm	Austria	Standard Issue
Glock 19	Pistol	9mm	Austria	Executive Protection Detail & Task Force Troopers
SIG Sauer P226	Pistol	.40 S&W	Germany	Kansas Turnpike (Troop G) Troopers
Remington 870	Shotgun	12 Gauge	United States	Standard Issue
Mossberg 500	Shotgun	12 Gauge	United States	Kansas Turnpike (Troop G) Troopers
Colt M4	Patrol Rifle	5.56mm	United States	Standard Issue to all law enforcement officers
H&K 416	Tactical Rifle	5.56mm	Germany	Special Response Team (SRT)
SIG Sauer MPX	Submachine Gun	9mm	Germany	Executive Protection Detail
H&K MP5SD	Submachine Gun	9mm	Germany	Special Response Team (SRT)

The last revolver issued was the Smith & Wesson Model 686 .357 Magnum revolver^{[citation needed]}. In 1991, the SIG Sauer P220 .45 ACP was the first semi-automatic pistol carried by the agency until it was replaced in 1998 by the Glock 21 .45 ACP pistol^{[citation needed]}. In 2009, the agency was one of the first in the United States to adopt the Glock 21SF (Short Frame) series sidearms (the other state agency to adopt the Glock 21SF shortly after would be the Nebraska State Patrol who still uses them)^{[citation needed]}. The Glock 21SF was first issued with a standard Level 1 or Level 2 high gloss leather holster, but the agency would later adopt the Safariland 6360 Level 3 holsters in around 2013–2014^{[citation needed]}. In late 2018, the Patrol transitioned to 9mm with the Glock 17 Gen 5 carried in a Safariland 6360 Level 3 holster^{[citation needed]}. The transition to 9mm was based upon Federal Bureau of Investigation testing which demonstrated a marked ballistic improvement upon earlier technology.^{[citation needed][18]}

Each trooper is issued their own patrol vehicle. Patrol vehicles are retired before reaching 50,000 miles and are subsequently resold to other governmental agencies at a reduced price.^[20]

Since the establishment of the Kansas Highway Patrol, 10 officers have died in the line of duty.^[21][22]

• List of law enforcement agencies in Kansas
• State police
• Highway patrol
• Kansas Bureau of Investigation

• Official website
• Kansas Highway Patrol publications at KGI Online Library