Troopers Taken Off Streets To Escort Deal

Since 1970, the Georgia State Patrol has offered gubernatorial nominees two state troopers and a state car as security detail. This year, Republican Nathan Deal accepted the offer, but Democrat Roy Barnes declined, citing the state budget crisis.

Channel 2’s Lori Geary confronted Deal as he left his Buckhead campaign headquarters by way of a state trooper and a state car paid for by state tax dollars on Thursday.

WATCH: Troopers Taken Off Streets For Deal's Security

Deal defended his decision saying, “It was offered by the state patrol and I understand it’s been offered to candidates and nominees since about 1970 from what I’m told.”

A spokesman for the Georgia State Patrol said because of the state’s budget crisis, the state patrol can’t run a trooper school so there’s a massive shortage of 150 state patrolmen. The department is supposed to have 953 trooper positions filled.

Right now, there are 803 patrolling Georgia’s highways. The spokesman told Geary Deal’s two troopers were taken off the road for the security detail.

“Well, I think it sends a good message when we have told them we intend to reimburse the state for the expenses incurred,” Deal told Geary.

But state patrol authorities said there is no such deal, and that taxpayers foot the bill for the trooper, the car and the mileage.

Barnes touted that he is driven by volunteers in his Ford F150 pickup truck, and he personally foots the gas bill.

“I don’t want to inconvenience these fellows right now. They’ve had cutbacks. It’s a demoralizing thing. I didn’t bring this up. I’m not condemning anybody for it, it’s just not my cup of tea,” he said.

Deal fired back, “When he’s made millions of dollars as the former governor of this state, I’m sure he can afford to pay for it himself.”

He added that his experience shows that he’s cautious about using state resources for security purposes. Deal said when he was President Pro Tempore of the state Senate, he declined a state driver because he felt it was inappropriate at the time.