The House committee investigating the 2011 Highway and Water Patrol merge holds its third hearing

Intro:	After a May drowning at the Lake of the Ozarks, one top Water Patrol official voiced his concerns about the 2011 merger of the State Highway and Water Patrols.
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Wrap: Water Patrol Captain Matt Walz says one of his main issues with the merger is the lack of dedication to the water patrol.

During the third House committee hearing investigating the merge, he voiced this concern.

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Description: "I'd just like to say that I, I do take pride when I put the patrol uniform on in the morning. I truly do. I've met a lot of great troopers who work the road especially I've been very impressed with. I, I believe if the highway patrol starts to take that same pride in the water that they take in the road duties there won't be any more committee meetings in the future about the merger."

Walz has been a member of the Water Patrol for 24 years.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Nicole Shaddy.

Intro:	One captain of the State Water Patrol came to the House committee hearing on the 2011 State highway and Water Patrol merger to voice his concerns after a May drowning at the Lake of the Ozarks.
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Wrap: Longtime Water Patrol captain Matt Walz spoke at the committee hearing about his belief that the merge diminished the value placed on the water patrol in comparison to the highway patrol.

And Table Rock Lake area representative and former state patrol officer Don Phillips agreed.

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Description: "You hit the nail on the head, absolutely hit it on the head when you said if the Missouri State Highway Patrol took the same pride in providing the service and protection that they do on the highways to the water, we wouldn't be having this meeting. We just wouldn't."

As a Water Patrol officer for 24 years, Walz managed a patrol troop both before and after the merge.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Nicole Shaddy.

Intro:	A current state Water Patrol captain questioned some practices of the Highway Patrol during a hearing on the 2011 merger of the two patrol divisions after a May drowning at the Lake of the Ozarks.
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Wrap: Water Patrol Captain Matt Walz has been a part of the patrol for 24 years, but at a House committee hearing, he voiced issues with recent practices in the division since the 2011 merger.

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Description: "I believe the water patrol mission can succeed within the Highway Patrol but there has to be oversight. The Water Patrol Division Director seems the most likely one to conduct that oversight but up until this point in the merger the Water Patrol Division Director has had little to do with the field operations of the Water Patrol officers."

He also said Highway Patrol managers have failed to acknowledge the job differences between Water and Highway Patrol officers.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Nicole Shaddy.