JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) assessed its performance over 2021 with a recent activity report. Patrol was busy as ever despite being severely understaffed.
Wyoming Highway Patrol employees were diligent throughout the year in addressing issues with a motorist who could be driving reckless, distracted, or impaired.
Troopers in 2021 stopped a total of 104,615 vehicles. Of this number, 29,506 speeding citations and 56,162 warnings were issued to passenger vehicles. Some 4,799 crashes were investigated, and 720 impaired drivers were stopped and arrested. Troopers assisted 19,982 motorists who could have mechanical issues, out of fuel or other reasons to be stopped on roadways. While patrolling the state highways and interstates, troopers recovered 30 stolen vehicles.
Numerous states continue to deal with an increase in drug overdoses, while controlled substance problems continue to be a problem in Wyoming. The Wyoming Highway Patrol feels this is a crucial issue and needs to be addressed head-on. In 2021 WHP Troopers were able to seize: 24.5 pounds of fentanyl, 7,200 pounds of marijuana, 207 pounds of methamphetamine, and 5 pounds of cocaine.
Our WHP Dispatch Center fielded 2,981 Report Every Drunk Driver (REDDI) Reports, received and processed 1,387 Safe2Tell reports, activated two Amber Alerts, and made 9,016 non-consensual rotation calls to towers. The total number of events processed in dispatch was 159,532. Each event requires multiple radio transmissions, phone calls, and data input into the Computer Aided Dispatch System.
The WHP Port of Entry Officers contacted 1,028,132 commercial vehicles and weighed 417,654 commercial trucks. Out of these contacts, 33,952 were identified as overweight and 2,077 for oversize. The Port of Entry Officers issued 204,411 permits and inspected 14,293 commercial vehicles, with 3,316 of these inspections resulting in an out-of-service violation.
“Despite being down 35 troopers, 12 dispatchers and 13 port of entry officer’s, everyone is working extra hours to get the job done serving the public, said WHP Colonel Kebin Haller. “I couldn’t be more proud of your achievements.”
