Gov. Nixon Signs Bill Unifying Highway And Water Patrols

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Standing alongside members of the Missouri State Water Patrol and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Gov. Jay Nixon today signed into law a bill unifying the two agencies, maintaining their full patrol forces and strengthening statewide law enforcement.

House Bill 1868 shifts the Missouri State Water Patrol to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, where it will be known as the Division of Water Patrol. Both agencies are part of the Missouri Department of Public Safety

The Missouri State Water Patrol has more than 90 sworn officers who patrol Missouri’s lakes, streams and rivers. The agency was created in 1959 as the Missouri Boat Commission and originally had eight officers. Currently, officers receive more than 1,200 hours of academy training and are among the state’s most highly trained law enforcement officers.

In 1974, the name was changed to the Division of Water Safety. In 1989, the agency became the Missouri State Water Patrol. Many of the lakes the Water Patrol has responsibility for today did not exist in 1959 when the agency was created, including Truman, Smithville, Blue Springs, Stockton, Long Branch and Mark Twain lakes.

The Water Patrol is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and was the first exclusively waterborne law enforcement agency to gain CALEA accreditation.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol currently has more than 1,060 sworn members and 1,140 civilian employees. It was established in 1931 and has held CALEA accreditation since November 1992 and has had CALEA flagship accreditation since 2006.

The bill signing ceremony was held just days before the beginning of one of the busiest boating and travel weekends of the year, when both the water and highway patrols will have stepped up patrols to ensure public safety. Gov. Nixon arrived at the signing ceremony in a Water Patrol boat after a brief tour on the Lake of the Ozarks. He was accompanied by Missouri Department of Public Safety Director John M. Britt and top officials from each agency.

The unifying of the Water Patrol and the Highway Patrol takes effect Jan. 1, 2011. The Water Patrol, Highway Patrol and the Department of Public Safety are currently studying the best ways to implement the unification. On Jan. 1, Water Patrol officers will become Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers and will begin wearing the blue uniform of the Highway Patrol.

Governor Nixon arrives at Lake of the Ozarks, Public Beach #2 for the news conference.

Governor Nixon addresses the media on the unification of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Water Patrol.

Major Tommy Roam comments on behalf of the Missouri State Water Patrol.

Major Bret Johnson comments on behalf of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Governor Nixon signs copies of House Bill 1868 as Department of Public Safety Director, John Britt and members of the Missouri State Water Patrol and Missouri State Highway Patrol watch.