Our Washington Legislature recently voiced a major concern about our state patrol employment numbers. Right now 21% of the agency’s trooper positions are vacant. The Washington State Patrol watches Washington’s state highways, enforces traffic laws and conducts criminal investigations and drug forensic testing through its self-prescribed ‘state of the art’ toxicology lab. In order to entice more people to join (and remain within) the Washington State Patrol (“WSP”) ranks, the Legislature has elected to pass some legislative measures. Recruitment and retention are of significant importance. This is so because over the next 3 years, 316 of the agency’s commissioned law enforcement officers are eligible to retire. In consideration of this, lawmakers have asked the committee on public pensions to evaluate the benefits and costs of several policy options, and action could be taken as soon as the 2024 legislative session. Currently, the state patrol is planning to offer an expedited training program in early 2024 to get more troopers operational. The WSP is also looking into other options to address safety challenges when troopers aren’t available, including aggressive recruitment of ‘diverse’ applicants and the implementation of ‘culture change’ within the agency.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So, it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (425) 359-3791 and/or (206) 441-0900.
