Kansas Highway Patrol
The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) held a ceremony on September 2 acknowledging the reclassification of law enforcement officers within the Capitol Police and Motor Carrier Inspection unit to State Troopers.
The reclassification ceremony marks a significant milestone for the agency, culminating years of thoughtful dialogue. With the change, all sworn officers within the KHP are now State Troopers for the first time since the agency's inception in 1937. The 25 officer positions affected by this reclassification come from Troop K-Capitol Police and the Troop I-Motor Carrier Inspection unit. Both units have a rich history in the Kansas government, with some positions existing prior to the creation of the KHP.
Though their uniforms have changed, the duties of these individuals remain the same. "This will make all of us better," said Colonel Erik Smith, KHP Superintendent. "It will provide an opportunity for everyone who wears this badge to enhance public safety, whether it's in the commercial vehicle space or in the capitol area complex". Adam Proffitt, Secretary of Administration, and Daniel Hawkins, Speaker of the House, also spoke at the event.
The Capitol Police Unit originated in 1955 under the Custodian of the State Capitol and was later part of the Department of Administration before the unit was transferred to KHP in 1976. The Motor Carrier Inspection unit, which was first established in 1933 under the State Highway Commission to combat bootlegging and bank robberies, was transferred from the Kansas Department of Revenue to KHP in 1988.