The Nebraska State Patrol is Nebraska's only statewide full-service law enforcement agency. Serving Nebraska since 1937, State Patrol officers perform a wide variety of duties. Those include working with communities to improve public safety, enforcing traffic laws and drug laws, investigating crimes, and enforcing the laws and regulations pertaining to motor carriers.
NSP is divided into six districts including:
Divisions
NSP has several divisions which operate within the department, they include:
- The Aviation Support Division which consists of a Bell 407 helicopter and one Cessna 182RG single engine airplane, two Turbo Cessna T206H's equipped with FLIR and downlink capabilities as well as a Piper Super Cub used for traffic enforcement, observation and surveillance. The Aviation Support Division is used for many different functions including: Drug raids, presidential security, rescue missions, investigative photography, transportation, surveillance, and traffic enforcement.
- The State Capitol Security Division is responsible for the daily security needs of the "Capitol Complex Area". The State Capitol is equipped with over 60 cameras that are recorded using a "Digital Video Recorder" which allows them to store video images and print out still images.
- The Carrier Enforcement division operates permanent truck scales throughout the state, conducts carrier inspections and is in charge of monitoring commercial motor vehicle accidents.
- Communications - Statewide, 50 Communications Specialists staff the six communications centers located in Omaha, Lincoln, Norfolk, Grand Island, North Platte and Scottsbluff.
- The K-9 Division consists of 15 troopers and their police service dogs. Each dog costs about $3,500-$5,000. The division relies heavily on public support. The dogs are purchased by the Nebraska State Patrol Foundation using donations from the public.
- Supply and Radio Engineering
- The Traffic Enforcement division makes up about 200 troopers which are responsible for over 10,000 miles (16,000 km) of roads in Nebraska.
- The Training Academy conducts both the Basic Recruit Camp and in service training.
Training academy
NSP runs their own 24 week in-resident training academy in lieu of sending recruits through the standard Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center's 13 week course.
The new Nebraska State Patrol Training Academy is co-located with the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island, Nebraska. The collocation of agencies upgraded the facilities for virtually every officer completing law enforcement certification in the State of Nebraska. The Training Academy includes: barracks to house up to 208 officers, state-of-the-art classrooms, a defensive tactics room, a fitness room, a training tank, a gymnasium, a recreation area, 2 ranges (1 static shooting, 1 combat), an inspection bay and training room for commercial vehicle inspections, a police service dog training grounds/boarding area, a driving range, and a cafeteria.
The State Patrol's style of instruction balances a para-military environment with an academic environment. The curriculum includes instruction in officer survival, investigations, patrolling, legal, administrative, tactical, human understanding, traffic (motor vehicle laws), and carrier enforcement.
The Training Academy staff is well-versed in educational theories such as state-to-state training and adult learning guidelines. The recruits undergo nearly one thousand hours of instruction during camp. The challenge is to ensure they are absorbing and retaining the information. In accordance with the adult learning theory, classes run into the evening rather than starting too early in the morning and much of the instruction involves hands-on and scenario-based training. State-to-state training means the staff tries to present the instruction in the same conditions and environments the recruits will actually experience on the street.
The Nebraska State Patrol rejects for training all who have visible tattoos, even those announcing pride in the recruit's former military service.
