EVERETT — The Washington State Patrol is looking to hire as many as 250 new troopers by 2015.
About 35 candidates were expected at a recruitment event in Lynnwood on Saturday, trooper Keith Leary said.
“If you want to get into law enforcement, the time has never been greater than now,” he said.
The patrol wants candidates who are honest, make good decisions and have sound judgment, Leary said. Most troopers are attracted to the job to help people in need and to make the roads safer, he said.
To get hired, candidates must pass a physical fitness test and a written test. The hiring process takes about a year. Troopers who are hired will work with victims, investigate collisions and arrest drunken drivers, Leary said.
Older troopers are retiring and the state’s population is growing, Leary said. The patrol has assigned more recruiters and added candidate-testing sites around the state. Five more recruitment events are planned this month and next.
Targeted recruitment sites including local community colleges, Naval Station Everett and Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Leary said.
Military veterans often make good candidates, he said.
“They have a lot of good training and life experience behind them,” he said.
For more information, go to www.wsp.wa.gov.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.