Nebraska State Patrol

Nebraska State Patrol
Abbreviation	NSP
Patch of the Nebraska State Patrol.
Motto	Pro Bono Publico
	"for the good of the public"
Agency overview
Formed	1937
Employees	729 (as of 2006)
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	State of Nebraska, U.S.
Nebraska State Patrol Troops
Size	77,421 square miles (200,520 km2)
Population	1,774,571 (2007 est.)
General nature	Law enforcement Civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Lincoln, Nebraska
Troopers	529 (as of 2007)
Civilians	219 (as of 2007)
Agency executive	Colonel David Sankey, Superintendent
Troops	6
Website
http://www.statepatrol.nebraska.gov
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

The Nebraska State Patrol is Nebraska's only statewide full-service law enforcement agency. Serving Nebraska since 1937, State Patrol officers perform a wide variety of duties. Those include working with communities to improve public safety, enforcing traffic laws and drug laws, investigating crimes, and enforcing the laws and regulations pertaining to motor carriers.

The current NSP commander is Colonel David Sankey.

NSP is divided into six districts including:

• Headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska: Captain Steve Ayres
• Troop A in Omaha, Nebraska: Captain Bret Freisz
• Troop B in Norfolk, Nebraska: Captain Paul Hattan
• Troop C in Grand Island, Nebraska: Captain Chris Kolb
• Troop D in North Platte, Nebraska: Captain James Parish
• Troop E in Scottsbluff, Nebraska: Captain Michael Gaudreault

Divisions

NSP has several divisions which operate within the department, they include:

• The Aviation Support Division which consists of a Bell 407 helicopter and one Cessna 182RG single engine airplane, two Turbo Cessna T206H's equipped with FLIR and downlink capabilities as well as a Piper Super Cub used for traffic enforcement, observation and surveillance. The Aviation Support Division is used for many different functions including: Drug raids, presidential security, rescue missions, investigative photography, transportation, surveillance, and traffic enforcement.

• The State Capitol Security Division is responsible for the daily security needs of the "Capitol Complex Area". The State Capitol is equipped with over 60 cameras that are recorded using a "Digital Video Recorder" which allows them to store video images and print out still images.

• The Carrier Enforcement division operates permanent truck scales throughout the state, conducts carrier inspections and is in charge of monitoring commercial motor vehicle accidents.

• Communications - Statewide, 50 Communications Specialists staff the six communications centers located in Omaha, Lincoln, Norfolk, Grand Island, North Platte and Scottsbluff.

• Community Policing

• Executive Protection

• Internal Affairs

• Investigative Services

• The K-9 Division consists of 15 troopers and their police service dogs. Each dog costs about $3,500-$5,000. The division relies heavily on public support. The dogs are purchased by the Nebraska State Patrol Foundation using donations from the public.

• Legal

• Supply and Radio Engineering

• The Traffic Enforcement division makes up about 200 troopers which are responsible for over 10,000 miles (16,000 km) of roads in Nebraska.

• The Training Academy conducts both the Basic Recruit Camp and in service training.

Training academy

NSP runs their own 24 week in-resident training academy in lieu of sending recruits through the standard Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center's 13 week course.

The new Nebraska State Patrol Training Academy is co-located with the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island, Nebraska. The collocation of agencies upgraded the facilities for virtually every officer completing law enforcement certification in the State of Nebraska. The Training Academy includes: barracks to house up to 208 officers, state-of-the-art classrooms, a defensive tactics room, a fitness room, a training tank, a gymnasium, a recreation area, 2 ranges (1 static shooting, 1 combat), an inspection bay and training room for commercial vehicle inspections, a police service dog training grounds/boarding area, a driving range, and a cafeteria.

The State Patrol's style of instruction balances a para-military environment with an academic environment. The curriculum includes instruction in officer survival, investigations, patrolling, legal, administrative, tactical, human understanding, traffic (motor vehicle laws), and carrier enforcement.

The Training Academy staff is well-versed in educational theories such as state-to-state training and adult learning guidelines. The recruits undergo nearly one thousand hours of instruction during camp. The challenge is to ensure they are absorbing and retaining the information. In accordance with the adult learning theory, classes run into the evening rather than starting too early in the morning and much of the instruction involves hands-on and scenario-based training. State-to-state training means the staff tries to present the instruction in the same conditions and environments the recruits will actually experience on the street.

The Nebraska State Patrol rejects for training all who have visible tattoos, even those announcing pride in the recruit's former military service.

Fallen officers

Since the creation of the Nebraska Highway Patrol, 11 officers have died in the line of duty.

Officer	Date of Death	Details
Trooper Loyal M. Zink	June 13, 1945	Automobile accident while pursuing a suspect
Trooper John T. Meistrell	April 10, 1953	Automobile accident on icy roads
Trooper Vernon C. Rolfs	May 30, 1953	Gunfire after stopping a speeding motorist
Trooper Marvin L. Hansen	April 8, 1954	Gunfire after stopping the driver of a stolen car
Trooper Duane F. Nichols	July 24, 1958,	Automobile accident involving a drunk driver
Trooper Raymond M. Koerber	September 18, 1961	Automobile accident
Trooper George William Amos, Jr.	April 20, 1973	Gunfire after stopping a fugitive
Trooper Michael D. Farber	August 24, 1980	Struck by a car being pursued by fellow officers
Trooper Robert J. Chab	January 6, 1984	Struck by a car while performing vehicle checks
Trooper Donald Matejka	December 27, 1989	Cardiac arrest while subduing a suspect
Trooper Mark Paul Wagner	March 4, 1999	Accidental gunshot wound during training

See also

• List of law enforcement agencies in Nebraska
• State police
• State patrol
• Highway patrol

External links

• Official website