Missouri State Highway Patrol Superintendent Ron Replogle refused to comment Wednesday on the drowning of an Iowa man who had been taken into custody by state troopers on the Lake of the Ozarks on suspicion of boating while intoxicated.
Replogle was appearing at the first of two hearings by a state house committee that is looking into the merger of the Highway Patrol with the Water Patrol. House Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, created the interim committee.
"Based on the advice of legal counsel and due to probable pending civil litigations, we will not take questions today or make statements concerning the May 31, 2014, drowning death of Brandon Ellingson," Replogle said. "We are here to discuss the merger and answer any questions concerning the merger."
Replogle told the committee that he had offered his condolences to Craig Ellingson, Brandon's father, just before the start of Wednesday's committee meeting.
Questions arose after Brandon's death about whether some state troopers in the Water Patrol division have been properly trained in the use of equipment and gear, including life vests. Committee members added to those questions Wednesday, focusing on swim tests for both Highway and Water Patrol division officers, and on whether supervisors are receiving the same training as recruits.
"Basically none of the troop commanders had any water experience, whatsoever," said State Rep. Don Phillips, R-Kimberling City. "Is that a fair statement or not?"
Replogle responded: "None of the nine current troop commanders have been marine enforcement officers … (but) we are sending some of those troop commanders to NASBLA (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators) … we have sent some of our commanders to some of those training conferences."
Replogle also told the committee that the merger has improved their response not only to natural disasters, but also to the unrest in Ferguson.
"We had more officers that we were able to send (to Ferguson) because of the merger under one unified command," Replogle said. "I don't know how you put a dollar amount on some of those things, the efficiencies that I think we've seen from that -- I don't know that you can -- but I just want to bring to your attention that those are things that really can't be measured by the dollar."
The Highway Patrol/Water Patrol merger came on the heels of the 2008 economic downturn, which hit Missouri's tax revenues hard. The proposal came out of several meetings by state officials looking for ways to save money. Legislation allowing the merger to take place was passed in 2010 by the Republican-led Missouri General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat.
The next hearing is scheduled Oct. 14 in Osage Beach, the largest town on the Lake of the Ozarks. Committee chair Diane Franklin, R-Camdenton, also wants to schedule hearings near Table Rock Lake in southwestern Missouri and somewhere near one of northern Missouri's lakes.
Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter: @MarshallGReport
