The North Carolina Highway Patrol is in the midst of a trooper shortage, impacting not just the Triad, but the entire state. At this time hundreds of positions are vacant, meaning troopers have to come up with new ways to get them filled as quickly as possible. "This profession is really needed in the state of North Carolina," said Master Trooper John Batulan of the North Carolina Highway Patrol.Batulan, a recruiter for the Highway Patrol has been with the agency since March of 2016, inspired to become a trooper because of his best friend’s dad. It’s the kind of story he’s been hearing less and less of those stories as the agency and the state, grapple with a trooper shortage of roughly 270 positions. "We have 100 counties in this state," he said. "A lot of them are rural. Your local departments may not have the manpower that they need to potentially work these wrecks or these collisions just to be out on the highways of the state of North Carolina." His colleague, Sgt. JD Kitchens, says it’s causing troopers in specialized units to be put back onto patrol to fill in the gaps. One of the big reasons for the shortage is what he calls a “retirement bubble.” "There's always been a huge influx of guys, they might retire all at once in one month, or, they might just trickle out," he said. "Maybe they might span it out and do it throughout the year, so we're really trying to combat that." One approach the agency is taking is starting the path to becoming a trooper in one of the 66 community colleges across the state. "You can go and we will pay you through it," said Kitchens. "Upon completion of the BLET, you will start school in Raleigh, which is called a short school. And that ranges anywhere from 14 to 16 weeks, it just depends on the curriculum." Batulan said they’re working to find other ways to inspire folks to pick up the badge."Obviously, it's not gonna just be given to you; you're gonna have to put some work into it," he said. "But when that time comes to get your badge, I promise you it will be worth it." Both men add while it’s important to get new troopers on the road, it’s just as important the agency doesn’t sacrifice the standards of professionalism and quality that they’re known for.