North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 143B. Executive Organization Act of 1973 § 143B-1705. Personnel;  appointment;  salaries

(a) Members of the State Highway Patrol Division shall be appointed by the Commander, with the approval of the Governor, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor and Commander.  The Commander, other officers and members of the State Highway Patrol Division shall be paid such salaries as may be established by the Division of Personnel of the Department of Administration.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, the number of supervisory personnel of the State Highway Patrol Division shall not exceed a number equal to twenty-one percent (21%) of the personnel actually serving as uniformed highway patrolmen.  Nothing in the previous sentence is intended to require the demotion, reassignment or change in status of any member of the State Highway Patrol Division presently assigned in a supervisory capacity.  If a reduction in the number of Highway Patrol Division personnel assigned in supervisory capacity is required in order for the State Highway Patrol Division to meet the mandatory maximum percentage of supervisory personnel as set out in the fourth sentence of this subsection, that reduction shall be achieved through normal attrition resulting from supervisory personnel resigning, retiring or voluntarily transferring from supervisory positions.

(b) Applicants for employment as a State Trooper shall be at least 21 years of age and not more than 39 years of age as of the first day of patrol school.  Highway Patrol enforcement personnel hired on or after July 1, 2013, shall retire not later than the end of the month in which their 62nd birthday falls.

(c) Positions in the State Highway Patrol Division approved by the General Assembly in the first fiscal year of a biennium to be added in the second fiscal year of a biennium may not be filled before adjustments to the budget for the second fiscal year of the budget are enacted by the General Assembly.  If a position to be added in the State Highway Patrol Division for the second fiscal year of the biennium requires training, no applicant may be trained to fill the position until the budget adjustments for the second fiscal year are enacted by the General Assembly.