OLYMPIA, Wash. — Thirty-seven newly minted Washington State Patrol troopers took their oath in the state Capitol Wednesday, before hitting the highways and interstates. The new troopers are badly needed.
The State Patrol had been losing an average of nine troopers and commanders a month, primarily due to their paychecks being much smaller than those from the city police and county sheriff's departments.
So the Legislature gave them a pay hike this year, with another increase on the way in 2017, for a total 15 percent jump from their previous pay.
That's helped cut the attrition rate of troopers almost in half. And Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste says the extra pay was an important recruiting tool at a time when it's become difficult to convince young men and women to join law enforcement.
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“That applicant pool is getting much smaller. Therefore, we must be competitive,” Batiste said after the ceremony. “This will help us be competitive and sustain a great agency for many years to come.”
New graduates Michael Newton and David Zeller both say they thought about careers in law enforcement. When they heard the State Patrol needed people on the road, both say that helped convince them to apply.
“Everything I found and everyone I spoke to hands down said that the state troopers are the cream of the crop,” Newton said.
Zeller says he had a push from home. His mother is a state trooper and his father a retired lieutenant.
“My dad kind of pushed me towards it, because we’re really short, we need you,” Zeller said. “It was really something I wanted to do anyway. My parents had done it so I followed their footsteps into it.”
Even with the new troopers, the Washington State Patrol is still short 100 people statewide. Another academy class is scheduled to begin in Shelton later in August.