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Then Governor John Jacob Cornwell was insistent upon having a state police force which he said, "was mandatory in order for him to uphold the laws of our state." Part of the compromise was the name of the organization: West Virginia Department of Public Safety was the official name, however, over the years, most citizens have accepted "State Police" as the unofficial name. During the 1995 legislative session, the name was officially changed to the West Virginia State Police. Today, West Virginia troopers enforce traffic laws statewide, investigate crimes and protect the governor and his immediate family. The superintendent of the West Virginia State Police, David Lemmon , appointed in January 2005 by governor-elect Joe Manchin , supports stronger Drug laws and has emphasized the importance of recruiting Cadet s with college degrees. Members of the West Virginia State Police receive their training at the West Virginia State Police Academy located in Institute , near the capital Charleston where the agency is headquartered. Upon appointment, cadets undergo an intense 28-week training program and, upon graduation, serve a twelve month probationary period. The shortage of sworn personnel in some counties has raised debates about the need for more funding to recruit much more cadets. There are currently about 650 troopers in the state of West Virginia. Some critics say the state needs at least 1,000 troopers in order for the State Police to operate on a 24-hour basis in all 55 counties. Pay has sometimes been an issue. Many West Virginia cities, such as Charleston , Ranson , Charles Town and Martinsburg , and counties such as Kanawha and Jefferson , currently have higher pay for their police forces. This is perhaps ironic, since the State Police not only trains its own troopers but also all other law enforcement officers from the state, as it is the only agency to operate an academy in West Virginia. Early in February 2006, Governor Manchin announced that he would support $6.2 million worth of pay raises over the next three years. As explained by one trooper, what that means is that a younger trooper before November 1 , 2005 made about $30,168. With the pay raises, after July 1 , 2008 , the same trooper would make $40,684. Effective July 1, 2006, a trooper that graduates from the State Police Academy is expected to be starting at $34,958.04 ($28,122 while training at the academy). That salary will finally be competitive with some local agencies across West Virginia. West Virginia State Police officers wear a forest-green uniform and champagne hat. REFERENCES
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