• June 8, 1921-Washington State Legislature authorized the appointment of a highway police with the power of peace officers.
• September 1,1921- The first Washington State Highway Patrol Officers were sworn in. The officers first vehicles were Indian Motorcycles.
• 1925- Chief William Cole was appointed the first Chief of the Washington State Highway Patrol. Prior to Chief Cole’s appointment by Governor Roland H. Hartley, Ms. Helen Shaw assumed the duties of Chief for a few weeks.
• August 17, 1933- Washington State Legislature acknowledged the need for a police organization that was mobile and could be concentrated immediately at any place in the state where the public safety was endangered. The Highway Patrol Division officially became known as the Washington State Patrol, which had been given full police powers.The first radio was installed on a motorcycle in the Vancouver area by Patrolman Harry Williams, which ran on a City of Portland Police frequency.
• 1967- Leon Lasley was the first African American hired and graduated from the State Patrol Academy.
• 1975- Trooper Cathy Swanson was the first female trooper hired by the State Patrol.
• 1976-Trooper Elmer Law was the first African American trooper to promoted to the position of sergeant.
• 1987 Trooper Colleen McIntyre was the first female promoted to sergeant.

• In 1988, the Washington State Patrol became just the third state law enforcement agency to receive accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

• In order to receive accreditation from CALEA, police agencies must comply with more than 484 standards that detail every major aspect of law enforcement, including: Traffic operations, crime analysis, performance evaluation, recruitment, evidence collection, strategic planning, public information, communications, and active threats. These standards are designed to make an agency more efficient, accountable, and responsive to the needs of citizens.
• 1995- Chief Annette Sandberg was the first woman appointed to head a state law enforcement agency. She was also the youngest of either gender when she was appointed in April, at the age of 33. The State Fire Marshal’s Office joined the agency when the Legislature transferred the Fire Protection Services to the Patrol in July.
• 2005- Chief John R. Batiste was appointed Chief of the WSP by Governor Christine Gregoire.
• 2007-The IACP named the WSP for the 2006 National Law Enforcement Challenge Award, “Best Law Enforcement Agency of its Size”. The WSP Commercial Vehicle Division received the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Leadership Award.
• 2016 marked 28 years of consecutive CALEA accreditation for the Washington State Patrol. That year, the WSP received “Accreditation with Excellence,” the highest single period award given by CALEA.

The Washington State Patrol makes a difference every day, enhancing the safety and security of our state by providing the best in public safety services.

Vision

To be the best public safety agency in the United States.

Motto

Service With Humility

Values

Every employee is a critical member of a team committed to:

• Strong leadership

• Effective partnerships

• Professional excellence

• Acting with integrity and accountability

• Respecting and protecting individual rights

• Earning the trust and confidence of the public

Specialty Positions

Aviation
Bomb Squad
Canine
Detective
Narcotic
Auto Theft
High Tech Crime
Organized Crime
Motorcycle Patrol
Collision Reconstruction

Technical Collision Investigator
Internal Affairs
Missing and Exploited Children
Drug Recognition Expert
Executive Protection
Capitol Security
Homeland Security
Honor Guard
Training Officers
Field Training Officer

Training Academy
Bicycle Patrol
Corporal
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Captain
SWAT
Technical Collision
Investigators
Instructor

Washington State Patrol - Trooper has 150 vacancies.

This is a continuous list and maintained as scores are received from PST. Upon successfully passing PST, please complete our agency application online through www.careers.wa.gov. Once we obtain your passing PST scores, an updated/current PHS and our agency application we will review your eligibility to move on in our process.

TO AVOID A DELAY IN THE HIRING PROCESS WITH OUR AGENCY, PLEASE COMPLETE YOUR PHS WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER COMPLETING YOUR WRITTEN EXAM.

HIRING PROCESS

Step 1 – Pass a Written Exam and Physical Fitness Exam through Public Safety Testing (PST), you can sign up here. You cannot move forward in the process without a thorough and completed Personal History Statement (PHS). This document can be found on your PST account.
Step 2 – Once you’ve completed your PST, you will need to create an account on the State of Washington’s job site and fill out an application.
Step 3 – Polygraph and Background Check
Step 4 – Oral Board
Step 5– Psychological and Medical Exam

Trooper Cadets - $5,493.00 per month or $65,916 annually.

Plus, educational, geographical, shift differential, longevity and career development pay (see website).

Medical, Dental, Vision and Washington State Patrol Retirement System (see website for more information).

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Washington State Patrol actively supports diversity in the workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For a copy of the Washington State Patrol's Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (EEOP), please contact the Human Resource Division.