WSP recruiting for more than 300 troopers - NBC Right Now/KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA |

KENNEWICK, Wash. --Washington State Patrol is looking for a few good men and women to add to their ranks. District 3 Recruiter, Trooper Chris Thorson is responsible for covering Yakima, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla. He says they're really stepping up their efforts in order to add more than 300 troopers in the next four to five years.

"We're currently losing 4.5 troopers per month through attrition and retirement, so we need to back fill these positions as soon as possible," said Thorson.

Thorson says they want to add 60-100 applicants this year. And this time, they're coming to the applicants. "In the past, you had to drive to Olympia to do all the testing, but now we're going to do it here locally," said Thorson.

The testing begins January 5th with a physical test and written exam. Practice tests are online.

"The physical test consists of a mile and half run, sit-ups and push-ups. and we also have a height weight requirement," said Thorson. Those who don't meet the requirement can have their body mass index measured, and it must be a ratio of less than 20.

Thorson says more people have trouble passing the background test, then the actual physical test. "We're only hiring 3 to 4 out of a 100 applicants. We're having a lot of applicants have trouble with their past history; including drug use and prescription pill use. So we just want people to have a fairly clean criminal record, but no prior DUI's."

For those who make it through phase one January 5th, phase 2 includes an oral board review on January 14th at WorkSource in Kennewick.

Phase three includes a back ground check and polygraph test in Olympia, and phase four is a psych test and physical exam by a physician.

The actual training lasts six months and starts in July in Shelton. For more information, call Trooper Chris Thorson 509-731-8964 or email him at Christopher.Thorson@wsp.wa.gov