State Police Upset Over Gas Restrictions

By Susan Haigh

Associated Press

HARTFORD – The state police union is challenging a new directive designed to reduce the department’s gasoline consumption by prohibiting troopers from using state gas pumps on their days off.

A memo, distributed last week, allows troopers to fill up their cruisers at state pumps only while on duty.

Troopers are allowed to use those cruisers for personal trips and had been able to fill up on state gas for free, even on their days off. In exchange, they must always be on call.

The new policy was implemented after Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered state agencies to reduce gasoline consumption by about 10 percent before June 30. She wants a 25 percent reduction during the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The state Department of Public Safety says it goes through about 2.7 million gallons of gas each year, much of it in vehicles used by Connectiuct’s more than 1,200 troopers.

“On balance, we’re hopeful we can make a tank last for the three days (each week) that they’re not formally on duty,” Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Danaher said on Tuesday, after a news conference kicking off this year’s seat belt enforcement campaign.

Steven Rief, president of the Connecticut State Police Union, said state troopers have no problem conserving gasoline and cutting costs. But he said the union had no choice but to file a grievance over the policy, because it violates the labor contract.

“All we’re trying to say is, we wanted the opportunity to sit down with the department so we could mutually come to an agreement ... to comply with the governor’s directive,” said Rief, a state trooper.

Rief said the directive could risk public safety. He said it will discourage state troopers from using the cruisers on days off, and could mean fewer troopers on the roads helping stranded motorists, backing up on-duty troopers at calls and stopping reckless drivers.