The Washington State Patrol is down over 200 positions and with recruiting classes getting smaller and more troopers reaching retirement age, the agency fears it could be short-staffed for years to come.
Chris Loftis with WSP says their last two academy classes have been the most diverse classes they’ve had, but in total, they are only bringing in 87 new troopers.Loftis shared these numbers with KIRO 7 about how many on staff will be eligible for retirement the next few years:“But when you look at the whole system. That means all of the command, the detectives, the specialty troopers … we’re between 200 to 250 folks down right now,” Loftis said.
“You look around at agencies all around Washington state and all around the northwest,” Robertson said. The incentives for cadets are $5,000 after completion of academy, and another $5,000 after completion of a one year probationary period. “I think that we need to consider what they are doing out on the roads is that they are leaving their families at home. They don’t know if they are going to get home,” District 4 Representative Suzanne Schmidt said.
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