Legislature approved additional funds for the Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper school, and MHP officials have been hard at work recruiting.
The money was appropriated in Senate Bill 2968. Extra funds were given to the Mississippi Highway Patrol in order to fund a trooper school and increase the number of MHP troopers on the roads.
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“Our number are at an all time low right now,” said Colonel Chris Gillard, Director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol. “We are at about 482 and have 149 that can retire at any point in time. So, we are looking to get some good qualified people, looking for a career not just a job, to be apart of our moto.”
That moto, “Courtesy, Service and Safety.”
They are getting serious about recruiting and asking anyone who is interested in their line of work to check it out. They’re seeking honest, qualified men and women with moral standards and integrity.
You must be at least 21 years old with college hours and prior law enforcement or military service. If you’re 23 years old you must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
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“When we don’t have enough officers that puts the burden on other agencies,” said Gillard. “We have some counties that don’t even have a trooper right now.”
The course lasts 19 weeks and the MHP plans to bring on at leas 60 new recruits this summer.
For more information on how to begin your career with MHP click HERE.
