Wyoming Highway Patrol Gets $93M Budget
The state transportation department is restricting trooper mileage and overtime after the patrol overspent its prior two-year budget.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Should state budget limits on highway patrol mileage and overtime be loosened?
The Wyoming Department of Transportation limited Wyoming Highway Patrol mileage and overtime to offset a budget overrun. The patrol's 2025-2026 budget biennium ended in September 2026, and its new budget of $93 million starts October 1, 2026.
Why it matters
Limits on how far troopers can drive and how much overtime they can work affect how quickly and how often patrol resources reach Wyoming roads. The new biennium budget is a $13.6 million increase over the last one.
The patrol spent nearly $4.9 million on overtime by December 2025 against a budget of about $3.2 million for 2025 and 2026, and the transportation department restricted overtime hours in 2025. The source does not describe how the restrictions will be enforced going forward.
The players
Wyoming Highway Patrol
The state law enforcement agency responsible for highway policing across Wyoming, whose budget and operations are at the center of this story.
Wyoming Department of Transportation
The state agency that oversees the highway patrol and imposed the mileage and overtime limits to address the budget overrun.
KC Ramsey
The colonel who took over leadership of the Wyoming Highway Patrol in 2026 after the retirement of Tim Cameron.
The details
The transportation department capped how many miles troopers can drive and restricted overtime after staff found the agency had overspent. Officials attributed the overspending to fewer vacancies and increased wages, and the new budget is meant to cover Legislature-approved salary boosts and internal reorganization. Mileage limits have sometimes kept troopers stationary in medians, but troopers will still respond to major incidents regardless of resource constraints.
Timeline
December 2025: Highway patrol overtime spending reached nearly $4.9 million.
2025: Transportation department restricted highway patrol overtime hours.
March 2026: Col. Tim Cameron retired and was replaced by Col. KC Ramsey.
October 1, 2026: The new biennium budget took effect.
Legal Context
The new $93 million budget reflects Legislature-approved salary increases for Wyoming Highway Patrol personnel. The overspending occurred because vacancies declined and wages rose under those decisions.
Wyoming drivers may see fewer troopers patrolling highways if mileage and overtime limits continue to apply. Troopers will still respond to major incidents regardless of these constraints.
The takeaway
Budget limits on highway patrol mileage and overtime can shape how often troopers are visible on Wyoming roads. Residents who rely on timely patrol response should watch how the new $93 million budget is spent in fiscal year 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Law Enforcement coverage across Wyoming.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WyoFile.
Live Poll
Should state budget limits on highway patrol mileage and overtime be loosened?
