WSP not the finest

Recently, KHQ profiled a Washington State Patrol trooper who was recruiting prospective new troopers. If a person is looking into law enforcement for a career, why in the world would they want to work for the WSP?

The WSP suffers from a credibility issue with many in law enforcement because troopers don’t have the breadth of experience responding to a wide variety of calls that a real officer has. The WSP is primarily focused on the traffic code, with a much lesser focus on the criminal code. For some reason, this distinct lack of experience doesn’t stop the agency from calling itself “the finest law enforcement agency in the state.”

Troopers frequently have to move across the state to take a promotion. Their spouses have to quit their jobs and their children have to change schools.

There are a lot of good law enforcement agencies in the region looking for high-quality people where a person can become a well-rounded police officer responding to a full range of calls and can be promoted from within. This keeps a family in a position to set down roots and gives them stability, which contributes to a solid support system.

Tom Oliver

Liberty Lake