Editorial: State Patrol urgently needs back-up

The Washington State Patrol needs to change management practices, and the Legislature must boost pay if the state hopes to attract the next generation of troopers.

Those are the sobering conclusions of a report that investigated why job satisfaction has waned to the point where WSP struggles to replace and retain troopers.

The agency has 110 vacancies and 88 of the 482 troopers surveyed say they are looking to move to another law enforcement agency in the next two years. Furthermore, nearly 40 percent of commissioned staff will be reaching retirement age in the next decade and voluntary resignations have increased, according to the Public Financial Management report.

Meanwhile, the latest class of graduates had 25 students. The average number of graduating cadets over the past 35 classes has been 37. One of the report’s recommendations is to run two cadet academies a year, rather than one every nine months.

But first, the job must become more attractive.

The report notes that WSP’s paramilitary culture is less appealing to potential cadets than it used to be, and that other law enforcement agencies with higher wages have been rehiring at a fairly fast clip after the layoffs of the 2007-09 recession.

Troopers have noticed, and many are making the lateral move to urban police departments and sheriff offices, particularly on the West Side. WSP doesn’t take lateral hires, preferring its workforce move up through the ranks.

The report recommends the agency ease up on the military culture and try to provide a more flexible workplace that would appeal more to young people looking to be peace officers, not warriors. New uniforms would help. They haven’t been redesigned since the Eisenhower administration, and many troopers say they are uncomfortable.

Another common complaint from troopers is that management doesn’t value their input.

WSP recruitment was found to be too rigid. The agency’s psychological exam eliminates 38 percent of recruits, a much higher rejection rate than that of other law enforcement agencies. Also, WSP could retain more applicants if it dealt with past minor drug offenses and the other misdemeanors on a case-by-case basis. A youthful indiscretion shouldn’t trigger automatic rejection.

Even with recent pay increases and allowances for more pay in higher cost locales, trooper salaries and benefits lag those in the 11 other jurisdictions covered by the report. WSP pay tracks closely with that of Spokane County deputies, and the report notes that the Spokane area is a desired posting for troopers.

But the gap has widened between WSP and West Side law enforcement agencies, and troopers are being lured away. Since 2010, 50 troopers have made the switch, with 25 doing so in 2015 alone.

This is where the Legislature will need to step up. Gov. Jay Inslee has included $465,000 in his supplemental budget for trooper recruitment and retention.

Public safety is a core function of government, but the State Patrol has been allowed to languish.

Troopers need some back-up. Fast.

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