By Phil Roberts, 7/30/25
Wyoming fiercely defended its citizens’ independence over the years from corrupt out-of-state corporations and grasping federal agencies. But it now appears that the state’s adherence to these principles and local/county control iare old, quaint concepts.
In 1935, the legislature authorized creation of the Wyoming Highway Patrol after lengthy discussion about the necessity to limit the new agency’s law enforcement power to highway offenses, investigating accidents, and providing roadside assistance to motorists in distress. Legislators as well as county sheriffs and city police wanted to make sure that the new agency would not infringe on their authority and gradually become a “state police force” along the lines of Mussolini’s corrupt Italian model or Hitler’s Gestapo. Additional assurance came when the legislature voted to put the WHP under the control and direction of the Highway Commission, believing that such a move would make it more difficult for any governor to abuse his power and convert it into his own private “army.”
So here we are, almost a century later, and we’ve meekly acquiesced to having the WHP “work with” tRump’s hated ICE Gestapo, the most dangerous and unpopular agency in the country, if not in the world. Frankly, that evil bunch of lawless thugs should not be allowed in the state until they can demonstrate that they will follow due process and show allegiance to the Constitution in their terrorist-like quest to try to take over our state and the country. We should not be surrendering state power to their unconstitutional authoritarian goals, committed in the names of would-be dictators like tRump (still not releasing the Epstein files, by the way), and his henchmen like the “puppy killer,” and Steven Miller.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol has always been a respected, professional organization, trusted to serve the Wyoming people. Why taint its well-earned reputation by forcing it to be an “uber service” or worse for a bunch of masked tRump thugs seeking to undermine our state’s free and democratic government? Nationally, the ICE Gestapo needs to be abolished now and totally barred from ever entering Wyoming! (State Archives photo of the first Wyoming Highway Patrol officers standing in front of the Capitol with Gov. Leslie Miller, 1935. One of the officers pictured was a high school friend of my father’s; another later served with him in the Wyoming National Guard before WWII).
PIc to Come–