State Patrol Starts Hiring Blitz to Fill Additional Academy Class

The Washington State Patrol is looking to bring on 60 trooper cadets quickly as part of its 101st academy class, according to a press release issued Monday.

“We hear of agencies hiring five or six at a time, and we’re trying to find 60 top-notch people in just a couple of months,” said Capt. Jeff DeVere, commander of the Patrol’s Human Resources Division. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for anyone considering a career in law enforcement.”

Those interested will have to act quickly. Testing will occur at various times during the last weekend in April and the first week of May.

Even though the 101st class doesn’t start for several months, State Patrol needs to begin the hiring process immediately. First come the physical fitness and written tests, followed by an in-person meeting with a selection board. Later steps are medical and psychological exams, followed by an exhaustive background investigation that can take weeks.

Though most people think of WSP as the “highway patrol,” it’s a full-service police agency. There is a SWAT Team, Aviation Section, Detective Division as well as K-9, narcotics and auto-theft units.

“There are many different things you can do in a 25-plus year career with the State Patrol,” DeVere said. “The only limit is your own interest and motivation.”

In an era of video games, WSP has found that applicants struggle most with the physical fitness test. That baffles academy instructor Sgt. Freddy Williams, who at age 63 can still pass a test intended for recruits one-third his age.

“We ask you to be in good shape, however we do not set an impossible standard,” Williams said. “We want smart, caring people who are in good physical condition. If I can pass this test, you can pass this test.”

The patrol expects to test around 2,000 candidates to fill the 101st class. Despite the sense of urgency, DeVere said the agency will not compromise its high standards.

“We’ve lived up to our motto of ‘Service with Humility’ since 1921,” he said. “We need 60 people who want to be part of a tradition that is bigger than any of us.”

“We need the right 60 people.”

In Western Washington, testing will take place at Camp Murray National Guard Armory on April 28, April 29, April 30 and May 1 starting at 8 a.m. each day. Candidates are asked to come in physical fitness attire (written test to follow immediately).

For more information on testing locations, dates and times, go to WSP’s Recruiting Web Site at http://www.wsp.wa.gov/employment/schedule.htm.