JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri State Highway Patrol said it received a 91.2 percent approval rating in its annual public opinion survey, according to a press release.

More than 1,800 people responded to the survey in July. All the responses were voluntary.

Most of the respondents gave the patrol a good or excellent overall rating, MSHP said. Approximately three out of five reported that they had been in direct contact with MSHP, and 89.3 percent of those respondents reported an excellent or good experience, the survey found.

Three quarters of respondents said enforcing criminal law was the patrol's most important duty. Detecting and deterring the flow of illegal drugs and traffic crash investigation were each named as important duties by about 70 percent of respondents.

According to the MSHP, 72.8 percent of respondents said officers are doing "an effective to very effective job" at deterring alcohol-related boating crashes. The survey found 88.1 percent approve of DWI saturation patrols, and 83.3 percent approve of the patrol using sobriety checkpoints to catch and remove drunk drivers from Missouri roads.