We Need Your Help Arizona...
#TroopersMatter
The Arizona Department of Public Safety is facing enormous problems that have been growing for many years, with no end in sight. Now, DPS is paying a heavy price. Each year, our state government promises to address the issues and each year the issues get worse. This hurts DPS, while the cost to fix the problems continues to get larger. These issues affect every part of the agency from recruitment and retainment, to staffing and, most importantly, morale. They keep DPS from attracting and holding onto the best people. Potential recruits choose to join other agencies and DPS troopers leave early in their careers for better pay elsewhere. In the end, this affects DPS’ ability to provide Arizonans with the services they need.
Please use the sharing menu in the bottom right corner of the video to help us share our message with as many people as we can. We must start addressing these issues before it’s too late.
About #TroopersMatter
#TroopersMatter was created to educate and inform people of the challenges facing the Arizona Department of Public Safety and its employees. For many years now, DPS has suffered from high attrition rates of State Troopers through resignations and retirements. The number of Troopers leaving DPS has far outnumbered DPS’s ability to recruit, hire and train replacements. The impact of the lack of troopers patrolling Arizona’s roadways can be seen in the number of fatalities on our roads. Over the last ten years fatalities from crashes have steadily increased over 53%. In 2022, 1,320 people died on Arizona’s roadways. That’s the most fatalities seen in our state ever. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Motorcycle and pedestrian fatalities have steadily risen over the last four years over 37%. Deaths from impaired driving increased 38% in the last four years.
However, it’s not just the Troopers who are suffering. The Arizona Department of Public Safety employs other groups of law enforcement professionals that provide valuable services to our state and work to ensure safety on our roadways. DPS Communications and Professional Staff are also facing high rates of attrition. DPS is often unable to recruit and hire new members into those positions. Stop-gaps and half-measures have gotten us to this point. It’s time to fix this problem once and for all…and it’s imperative that it’s done right this time.
Please use the sharing menu in the bottom right corner of the video to help us share our message with as many people as we can. We must start addressing these issues before it’s too late.
#TroopersMatter
We can’t just keep kicking the can down the road for others to solve later. The stakes are just too high.
troopersmatter.org
Traffic Safety
How having fewer troopers on the road
is affecting traffic safety…
Make no mistake about it: When Arizona drivers see a marked Arizona State Trooper vehicle, their driving behavior changes. When surveyed, nine out of ten Arizonans said that seeing troopers on the road decreases dangerous driving behavior. When asked about their perception of the driving environment when there is high trooper visibility, nearly four out of five respondents felt that other drivers behave in a safe manner. In fact, one-third of respondents admitted that their own driving improves when they see a State Trooper.
Over the last five years especially, AZDPS has seen high attrition rates for State Troopers through resignations and retirements. Simply put, fewer troopers on the road equals more dangerous driving behaviors, and the statistics prove it. In 2020, Arizona had 1,054 traffic fatalities. In 2021, Arizona had 1,194 traffic fatalities. In 2022, Arizona had 1,320 traffic fatalities. Those are the most fatalities seen in our state ever. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Motorcycle and pedestrian fatalities have risen 38% since 2019. Deaths from impaired driving have risen 37% during the same period.
Trooper staffing levels have reached a critical level. There are not enough State Troopers available to be on our roads to provide the visibility and enforcement required to reverse the ever-increasing traffic fatality trends. 13 out of 15 countiesin Arizona don’t have State Troopers on the roadways 24 hours a day. That’s why we need your help and your support.
Want to learn more about traffic statistics?
The facts themselves tell the real story. Don’t take our word for it. Click to view the Arizona Department of Transportation’s 2023 Arizona Crash Facts Summary.
Traffic fatalities in Arizona dip slightly in 2023...
ADOT Crash Facts report shows speed, impairment remain as leading factors in fatal, serious crashes
PHOENIX – Traffic fatalities in Arizona decreased slightly in 2023 but are still near all-time highs, according to the state’s annual report on motor vehicle crashes on all roads, including local streets.
There were 1,307 traffic fatalities across the state last year, a decrease of 0.98% compared to 2022, according to the 2023 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report. Figures show crashes associated with alcohol impairment and inappropriate speed or speeding continue to be leading causes of deaths and injuries, providing an urgent reminder for Arizonans to avoid engaging in unsafe driving behaviors.
Fewer pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities occurred in 2023. Pedestrian fatalities fell by 12.3% and bicyclist fatalities were 10.2% lower than in 2022. Despite these improvements, the 1,307 traffic fatalities in 2023 is the second-highest annual fatality total ever recorded in Arizona and only slightly behind the 1,320 deaths recorded in 2022.
The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state. The document reflects reported crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, tribal roads and state highways.
While the number of traffic fatalities were down by about 1% in 2023 compared to 2022, the total number of crashes on all of Arizona’s roadways was up 1.6%, 122,247 in 2023 compared to 120,356 in 2022.
The statistics show that, like in previous years, crashes and fatalities are overwhelmingly driven by driver behavior, primarily involving speed, impairment, and failure to use seat belts.
Pay Disparity
Pay for DPS employees has resulted in our current crisis situation.
All of your DPS employees are very proud of the job they do. Their main concern is providing the people of Arizona with the best services they possibly can. It is their honor to be a part of this agency and its proud history, but the pay gap has put a serious dent in their morale. Each year that the pay gap with other agencies gets larger, it gets harder and harder to maintain their morale and more difficult to retain & recruit personnel.
Though new solutions are suggested and some have even been implemented, they all end up being half measures that don’t fix the ongoing problem and sometimes make it even worse. Our goal is to educate everyone about what the real problems are and to work together to fix them the right way so they don’t cause undue pressure on state budgets and fixes the issues once and for all so they don’t happen again. We don’t want to keep kicking the can down the road for another year and make the problems worse than they already are. Each time we do this, the problems just get larger and harder to solve efficiently.
TurnOver
How high turnover affects staffing levels, recruitment, and morale…
The continuous turnover of state workers leaving state employment for higher-paying jobs has resulted in a revolving-door process of hiring and training new employees. The cost to Arizona taxpayers of the endless process of recruiting, hiring, and training new employees to replace these workers is enormous. Vacancies in critical job positions go unfilled resulting in reduced or delayed services to the citizens of Arizona.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety feels the effects of this constant turnover. AZDPS communication centers around the state are constantly hiring and training new communications officers, only to see them walk out the door a short time later. High attrition rates for state troopers only serve to leave Arizona’s roadways vulnerable and dangerous, due to aggressive and impaired drivers. State trooper pay is so low that recent attempts to recruit new members resulted in the AZDPS having to extend application deadlines due to the lack of people submitting applications.
For the dedicated members of the AZDPS who remain on the job, the burden of having to work short-staffed for the past two years is taking its toll. Calls for service to AZDPS communication centers have continued to increase. Morale is decreasing. The psychological stress of bearing the weight of increased responsibilities and workload due to short staffing all across the AZDPS is only getting worse. Now more than ever, we need your help and support.
Critical staffing levels and their serious effects on wellness…
AZDPS employees are entering another year of working short-handed. Staffing levels for field troopers has hit a critical level. Many troopers have worked alone on their shifts for most of these years with no end in sight. The stress is starting to take its toll on their wellness.
Hear what fellow Arizonans have to say…
Scroll down the page to learn how to add your own message…
Hear directly what
DPS employees have to say…
What can I do to help?
It’s very simple and easy to make a big impression. The Arizona State Troopers Association needs your help educating people about the issues we face. You can use the tools on this page to educate yourself about the challenging issues the Arizona Department of Public Safety faces, sign up for email updates of our progress, and help share our story on your social media. You can also contribute financially to our campaign in different ways. First, you can donate to the campaign directly and help us pay for media advertisements, educational materials, and other campaign resources. You can join the Association by becoming an Associate Member. You can also purchase some of our memorabilia that not only funds our efforts, but allows you to show your support.
Be in the know
If you’d like to get updates on our progress and other ways you can support your troopers and AZDPS then give us your name and email. You can even receive text alerts on your cell.
Get Social
If would help us a lot if you would take a moment of your time to spread the word about the issues we face and how they affect the entire state of Arizona.
Educate Yourself
Learn the truth. Read personal stories from AZDPS employees themselves and see factual reports and analysis about the effects these issues have on you and the rest of Arizona.
Make a Donation
Your donations go directly to media buys and other messaging costs to help us get the word out. Any amount helps us further our story. Thank you for your support!
Represent
We have a geat selection of merchandise available for sale. Show your support by wearing some. Our items include clothing, home goods, and accessories.
Become a Member
Help support your Arizona State Troopers Association. You’ll get a complimentary subscription to our magazine, some cool swag, and stickers showing your support.
Campaign Merchandise
All proceeds go to the campaign to help fund media buys and other messaging costs to help us get the word out.
- New!
#troopersmatter – Bubble-free stickers
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#troopersmatter – Clear plastic tumbler
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#troopersmatter – Hardcover bound notebook
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#troopersmatter – Wide mouth plastic water bottle
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#troopersmatter – Short-Sleeve Unisex T-Shirt
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#troopersmatter – Short-Sleeve Unisex T-Shirt
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#troopersmatter – Stainless steel water bottle with a straw lid
$31.95
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Our mission is to promote a positive role for our members and protect and secure rights and benefits for them through effective government representation.
For the dedicated members of AZDPS who remain on the job, the burden of having to work short-staffed is taking its toll. Calls for service to AZDPS have continued to increase. Morale is decreasing. The psychological stress of bearing the weight of increased responsibilities and workload due to short staffing all across AZDPS is only getting worse. #azleg #aztroopers #troopersmatter Learn more at https://troopersmatter.org
Making an already critical situation worse? Arizona DPS can't support the roads we have and we're spending $1 Billion to add more. We also need troopers to work them and there's been no discussions about that. #azleg #aztroopers #troopersmatter
The amount of vacancies we're struggling with are at a critical level, with roadways in 13 of 15 Arizona counties no longer having 24 hour DPS coverage. We need your help Arizona... https://troopersmatter.org #TroopersMatter #aztroopers #azleg
Saturday members Zach Swalander, Kyle Ford, Jason Watson, and Denver Green played in the Erik Hite foundation golf tournament. Their team was sponsored by AZTROOPERS charities. #trooperlife Learn more at https://erikhitefoundation.org/events/ehf-golf-tournament/
We need your help Arizona... Learn more at https://troopersmatter.org #azleg #aztroopers #troopersmatter