State Police absorbs Marine Patrol!!

[Nauset]

Is that how the NH SP is run now? If it is there are bigger issues than the part-time MP. If it isn’t than the MP probably won’t create it. Was it ever confirmed that the current MP in the boats will be replaced or just overseen by the SP. On the flipside I would wager that most SP officers are highly trained in rescue, EMS, law enforcement, etc.

[Misty Blue]

When we were in Mass. the Environmental Police (Our Fish and Game) were responsible for inland waters. They did all that our MP does except (I think) Aids to Navagaiton.

Wouldn't it make more sence to merge the Marine Patrol with Fish and Game?

Their duties are more similar than the State Police, and they share the waters already. When someone drowns in the Lake it is the Fish and Game that does the recovery.

On the coast at the CG station you will see MP boats docked right next to F & G boats. That sounds like poor management to me.

If they were to merge, the increased manpower would put more professionals on the lakes (instead of part timers) during the busy season and make more officers available during hunting and snowmobile season on the land.

To me, that change and not the State Police makes more sence.

Misty Blue.

[Skip]

You raise some valid points if there was to be a true merge, but that is not what is happening here. As always, the devil is in the details!

Currently the Marine Patrol is reporting to the Commissioner of Safety through Safety Services Division Head David Barrett. State Police, also part of the Department of Safety, reports to the same Commissioner via the Director of the State Police (the Colonel). If you look at the current chain within Safety you will see that the budget proposal simply eliminates Barrett's position and responsibilities and instead tranfers his duties and powers over to the Director of State Police, streamlining the Department of Safety. For those that may not know Barrett also has other duties besides just Marine Patrol, including overseeing things like tramway & amusement ride safety.

The Marine Patrol will still be staffed as is, with some fulltime personnel and the usual contingent of part-time officers in the summer. NH State Troopers are not being moved onto the lakes. As a matter of fact if the budget as proposed passes, there are corresponding cuts coming to State Police that will actually reduce the number of troopers, making it virtually impossible for the Colonel to assign new duties to a shrinking force!

Additionally, except for the obligatory name changes (dropping "Safety" and replacing with "State Police") funding mechanisms for Marine Patrol stay the same. As an example the money that by statutue is collected and expended for the Navigation Fund remains exactly as is, except for inserting the appropriate name changes. In order for the Commissioner of Safety to divert or change funding would require an act by the legislature, and the legislature does not do this in the proposed bill.

In the end the Marine Patrol remains within the Department of Safety as it has been. All positions below the Director remain the same. Just the chain of command is changed by NHMP personnel reporting to the Commissioner of Safety via the Director of State Police instead of the proposed eliminated Director of Safety Services position. State Troopers are not transferred to the NHMP and the legislation does not change any other duties or responsibilities of current full or part-time staff.

As has been pointed out by a previous poster this portion of the budget is consistent with the legislature's stated intent to lower the State budget by eliminating personnel and consolidating services.

Hope this helps clear up a few misconceptions floting around out there...

[Winndow]

The new budget also eliminates the non-lapsing status the Navigation Fund has always had. This results in a 1+ million cut to their budget over two years as I see it.

If thats the case...the BS that the hippocrates in the majority are preeching when they say "no new taxes or fees"...well folks you just created one!

Why should boat owners be singled out? Are hunting license revenues going to the general fund??-No. How about OHRV/ATV/Snowmobile reg money?-No!

As for the merge...like I said before, I just hope the Marine Patrol duties and responsibilities don't get lost to the other priorities of the State Police.

[jmen24]

Originally Posted by Winndow

Why should boat owners be singled out? Are hunting license revenues going to the general fund??-No. How about OHRV/ATV/Snowmobile reg money?-No!

No and here is why.

Hunting and fishing licenses, as well as OHRV and Snowmobile reg goes to Fish and Game. If the state were to merge the fish and game into the mainstream government and thus have access to the budget via the general fund. The State of NH Fish and Game would lose millions of dollars in federal grant money annually.

There is a reason that Fish and Game departments all around this country are not tied into general fund budgeting and are seperate entities and that is it. This is a Federal requirement, it prevents a state from setting up a conservation department just to access additional funds for use on whatever.

Look it up on their site. The F&G receives 50K out of the general fund each year and that is it. All other fund raising is through license sales, registration of OHRV and snowmobiles as well as fund raising and donations.

The Link http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Insi...pie_charts.htm

I do not know what it costs to register a boat in this state, but I can speak to what I do know. Between my hunting and fishing licenses and registering my ATV (which is basically useless as there are very few places to use off private property) I will spend around $200 this year +/- $10 or $15, and I did that last year and the 13 years prior to that.

Anything regarding F&G in NH is a "pay to play" type of setup. I choose to pay for my licenses and reg and therefore I get to play. You are not paying for my access to these activities unless you also pay for a license or OHRV reg to F&G.

I am just answering the F&G issue, I have know idea about the other issue you bring up and I am sure someone else will be able to respond to that aspect of your post.

Personally, I think Misty's comment about MP and F&G merging would make more sense, but could they both operate on a budget that is solely self funded. I don't know, but F&G can barely fund itself now, let alone adding in the budget needs of MP. It would make more sense, but sense has never really been mainstream in Government.