The N.H. Troopers Association and the N.H. Police Association see a casino on the Massachusetts border as a way to boost law enforcement budgets.
Both unions have supported casino bills in the past, and at a morning news conference they said they don’t expect that position to change. Seth Cooper is President of the Troopers Association.
“It is our view belief that sb152 is a good plan for the state of NH, and will assist the funding of vital services for this state.”
Cooper says with 31 trooper jobs now vacant the state isn’t able to properly serve rural areas, and Governor Hassan’s budget, which includes $80m in casino money, would put 15 troopers on the road. Dave Young, President of the Police Association, meanwhile, stressed that its wrong to conclude that more gambling equals more crime.
"Research we conducted and reviewed shows that an increase of crime would be due to the increase in population in general. The same would be happen with a given shopping mall in any given town."
Backers of the senate’s gambling plan face a significant challenge in getting the bill through the N.H. House, where lawmakers have voted down casino bills for years.
