By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

They’re fondly referred to as the “Tweeting Troopers.”

The seven Kansas Highway Patrol Technical Troopers, in charge of the agency’s public relations, decided in January to create Twitter accounts and begin tweeting from the road.

Initially, the idea was to quickly communicate with the state’s news media to pass along information about changing road conditions and traffic accidents, according to Tod Hileman, Troop D-Hays.

Now the technical troopers, based in Salina, Garden City Chanute, Wichita, Kansas City, Topeka and Hays, also have a lot of followers from the general public.

Hileman, who tweets as “@TrooperTodKHP,” said the social media tool is a “great way to pass along safety information”:

Hileman said using Twitter also helps “humanize” Kansas Highway Patrol troopers.

The state of Maryland has contacted the Kansas Highway Patrol about implementing the Twitter program for its state police, added Hileman.