LINCOLN — The union representing Nebraska State Patrol troopers sent a message Tuesday to Gov. Pete Ricketts and his preferred replacement: They’re tired of waiting on the state to pay them more.

The State Troopers Association of Nebraska endorsed Conklin Co. CEO Charles Herbster in the Republican governor’s primary race, a candidate Ricketts has said would be “terrible.”

Ricketts' favorite, University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, was given a chance when the union interviewed four candidates before they made a choice.

Ultimately, union leaders said Herbster put greater emphasis on their needs.

“The State Patrol has suffered greatly over the last few years in hiring the number of highly qualified candidates to serve the citizens of Nebraska that they deserve,” said State Patrol Investigator James Estwick, the union’s vice president for eastern Nebraska.

Retired Patrol Col. Tom Nesbitt said the Patrol is down from the authorized staffing number, which he says is already too low to do the job. Herbster said Nebraska is short about 150 state troopers.

Nesbitt said he supports Herbster because he "has a plan, and that plan is going to work." Despite these comments, neither Herbster or Nesbitt and the union were willing to expand on what that plan is, what the cost might be, and what promises were made to secure the union's endorsement.

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