HARTFORD, Conn. -- Because of a growing state deficit, Gov. Jodi Rell has called for state troopers to stop filling up on state gas when using cruisers for personal trips.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Dan Kain reported that the order has pitted the state police union against the commissioner's office.

Currently, troopers are allowed to use their cruisers for personal trips on days off and fill up on state gas on their days off.

In exchange for being allowed to drive the cruisers in their off-time, state police must be on call all the time.

"The public opinion might be that we're trying to get one over on the state … we are not," said union president Steven Rief. "We're trying to make sure that also we're going to be the same ones that are going to have to respond to emergencies. We want to make sure we have the equipment and resources to do that."

Rell has called on all agencies to cut costs and find ways of reducing the use of gasoline.

The state Department of Public Safety came up with the idea of prohibiting fill ups on troopers' days off as a way of complying with the directive.

"Our hope is that with a full tank on that last day, they'll be able to make it through three days and that this will result in fuel savings. However, it's a policy we're going to monitor. We want to make sure that there is no adverse impact on public safety … and if there is, we'll adjust," said Commissioner of Public Safety John Danaher III.

The Department of Public Safety uses about 2.7 million gallons of gasoline a year, and under the new rules, troopers will still be allowed to fill up on state gas before they leave for their three days off, but not during their time off.

"Certainly by a quarter of a tank … we need to be fueling up because if we have to respond to an emergency .. and I don't think anybody wants a trooper stranded on the side of the highway because they're out of gas," said Rief.

The goal across all state agencies is to reduce mileage and gas use by 10 percent by June 30 of this year, and 25 percent by June of next year.