news-record.com

Gov. Bev Perdue should heed the sound advice of the advisory panel she appointed and address problems plaguing the State Highway Patrol, sooner rather than later.

A spate of episodes involving trooper misconduct, from sexual misbehavior on duty and drunken driving to animal abuse, prompted the governor to ask the group for suggestions to rebuild the agency’s tarnished reputation.

What it came up with are common-sense fixes that probably should have been implemented years ago.

The proposed stricter oversight and more accountability would go a long way in addressing concerns that political connections play a role in patrol promotions and assignments.

For example, panel members say candidates for the commander’s job ought to undergo a thorough background check by an agency outside of state government. Doing so would help eliminate lingering hints of cronyism.

At the local level, it wants patrol supervisors to live where they are assigned, rather than commuting often long distances. Being available and a part of the community will improve service and save money.

And troopers would be required to inform dispatchers whenever someone of the opposite sex is in their cruisers.

On the pressing issue of choosing a new commander, the panel advises against delaying the naming a successor to Col. Randy Glover until the General Assembly can decide whether to open the search to outside applicants, which could take months.

While that change has merit and should be pursued, waiting for it to happen consumes too much valuable time. Keeping the patrol in what the advisory group correctly called “indefinite limbo” only extends an unacceptable status quo.

Perdue must act decisively in restoring the public’s shaken confidence in the patrol. The advisory panel’s sound input should make the task easier.