The character of police officers today is continually being challenged. Because public scrutiny is particularly intense for uniformed personnel, applicants seeking employment with the Washington State Patrol as Trooper Cadets must possess an exemplary background and personal history. The third phase encompasses a polygraph examination and a thorough background investigation.
The nature of police work necessitates that only the best applicants are chosen. The competition for a limited number of positions is very keen. For this reason, we have provided our standards to assist you in making a realistic assessment of being hired as a Trooper Cadet.
Minimum Requirements
Be a citizen of the United States of America.
Possess a valid, unrestricted driver license.
Be 19½ years old at time of application.
Possess a certificate of high school completion or the equivalent from an accredited school.
Vision corrected by contact lenses or surgery to 20/25 in each eye. If vision is not corrected by contact lenses or surgery, then uncorrected vision no worse than 20/100 in each eye, corrected to 20/25.
Be willing to work weekends, holidays, rotating shifts, and be on 24-hour call.
Be free from the use of narcotics or controlled substances.
Body must be well-proportioned and in compliance with departmental height and weight or body fat standards.
Successfully pass a pre-employment polygraph examination.
Be approved for employment after a thorough background investigation.
Successfully pass a departmental medical examination.
Successfully pass a departmental psychological examination.
Be willing to accept statewide assignments.
Knowledge between right and wrong and demonstrate it by example and life style.
Incur the expense of keeping one's uniform clean.
Work in all weather conditions.
Demonstrate the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide accurately.
Maintain good personal hygiene.
Pay one's bills and meet financial obligations.
Applicant must be of good moral character. Indications of a lack of good moral character include, but are not limited to, the following:
Conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
Intentional deception or fraud or attempted deception or fraud in any application, examination, or other document.
Acts or conduct that would cause a reasonable person to have substantial doubts about the individual's honesty, fairness, respect for the rights of others, or for the laws of the state and/or the nation.
Conduct that adversely reflects on the individual's character to perform the duties of a trooper.
Must possess and/or demonstrate the following physical abilities, skills, and traits:
Ability to see, hear, smell, feel, walk, jump, run, climb, lift, drag, carry.
Ability to jump into a vehicle, jump over guardrails, and change a tire.
Ability to shoot a pistol, rifle, and shotgun with either hand.
Ability to distinguish colors and be free from color blindness and night blindness.
Must be able to learn and demonstrate the following job requirements after being trained by the department:
Knowledge of First Aid.
Knowledge of when and when not to use force, up to and including firearms.
Communicate clearly when using radio equipment.
Operate a standard-issue patrol vehicle unaided.
Knowledge of when to use emergency lights and siren.
Ability to demonstrate the proper use of all issued equipment.
Drug possession/usage beyond these standards disqualifies you for employment with the Washington State Patrol.
“Possession” is defined as having actual physical control of any illegal (non-prescribed) drug for personal use or otherwise.
“Use” is defined as trying, testing, or experimenting, which includes, but is not limited to, tasting, smoking, injecting, absorbing, sniffing, or inhaling.
No combined possession and/or usage of any non-prescribed Schedules I-V drugs (see below) over three (3) times. No non-prescribed possession and/or usage in the last ten (10) years.
No possession/usage of marijuana/hashish in the last three (3) years. No possession/usage of marijuana or hashish over fifteen (15) times, regardless of time frame.
No possession/usage of prescription drugs that were NOT prescribed to the applicant over three (3) times. No non-prescribed possession and/or usage in last ten (10) years.
No possession/usage of heroin, regardless of time frame.
No injection of any non-prescribed drugs, regardless of time frame.
No trafficking, selling, offering to sell, or transporting for sale of any illegal drugs, regardless of time frame.
No illegal drug possession/usage after submitting an application, while employed, or after having been employed by a law enforcement agency (including military law enforcement), regardless of time frame.
No non-prescribed usage of anabolic steroids in last three (3) years.
Examples of Schedule I-V Drugs Include, But Not Limited To:
Schedule I (RCW 69.50.204) - Any of the following opiates, including their isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and ethers whenever the existence of these isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is possible within the specific chemical designation:
Codeine, Heroin, Morphine, Ecstacy, LSD, Peyote, GHB, Methaqualone, Marijuana/Cannibis, etc.
Schedule II (RCW 69.50.206) - Opium and opiate, and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation of opium or opiate, excluding apomorphine, thebaine-derived butorphanol, dextrorphan, nalbuphine, nalmefene, naloxone, and naltrexone, and their respective salts, but including the following:
Schedule III (RCW 69.50.208) - Stimulants. Any material, compound, mixture, or preparation containing any quantity of the following substances having a stimulant effect on the central nervous system, including their salts, isomers, whether optical, position, or geometric, and salts of isomers whenever the existence of those salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation: (refer to RCW 69.50.208)
Depressants. Unless specifically excepted or unless listed in another schedule, any material, compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity of the following substances having a depressant effect on the central nervous system: (refer to RCW 69.50.208)
Anabolic steroids. The term "anabolic steroids" means any drug or hormonal substance, chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone, other than estrogens, progestins, corticosteroids, and dehydroepiandrosterone, that promotes muscle growth and includes: (refer to RCW 69.50.208)
Any substance which contains any quantity of a derivative of barbituric acid, or any salt of a derivative of barbituric acid.
Stimulants, Depressants, Hallucinogens, Ketamine, Anabolic steroids, Hallucinogenic substances, etc.
Schedule IV (RCW 69.50.210) - Depressants. Unless specifically excepted or unless listed in another schedule, any material, compound, mixture, or preparation containing any quantity of the following substances having a depressant effect on the central nervous system, including their salts, isomers, and salts of isomers whenever the existence of those salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation:
Barbital, Diazepam, Fludiazepam, Halazepam, Lorazepam, Phenobarbital, etc.
Schedule V (RCW 69.50.212) - Not more than 200 milligrams of codeine per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams; Not more than 100 milligrams of dihydrocodeine per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams; Not more than 100 milligrams of ethylmorphine per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams; Not more than 2.5 milligrams of diphenoxylate and not less than 25 micrograms of atropine sulfate per dosage unit; Not more than 100 milligrams of opium per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams, etc.
Have no misdemeanor convictions involving DUI, theft, use, or possession of firearmsin the commission of the crime, crimes of violence (i.e., domestic violence, assault, etc.), larceny, moral turpitude, controlled substances, possession of paraphernalia, or hit-and-run.
No conviction for minor in possession (MIP/MIC) of an alcoholic beverage in last three (3) years.
No convictions of more than one MIP/MIC, regardless of time frame.
No convictions of reckless driving in last seven (7) years.
No convictions of two (2) or more major moving violations (Reckless Driving, Negligent Driving), regardless of time frame.
Applicant must possess a current, non-probationary, Washington State driver license with no restrictions resulting from vehicle operation or control, and the ability to maintain such licensure during employment with the WSP. Applicant must have no history of restrictions on driving record or license resulting from vehicle operation or control.
For this purpose, the term "conviction" shall include any disposition adverse to the subject, except a decision not to prosecute, a dismissal, or acquittal; provided, however, that a dismissal entered after a period of probation, suspension, or deferral of prosecution or sentence shall be considered a disposition adverse to the subject.
Any applicant with a history or conviction of domestic violence shall be eliminated as an employee candidate at that point in the hiring process per RCW 10.99 and the Washington State Patrol Regulation Manual, Chapter 8.00.320. RCW Mandate -- Will apply to all fully commissioned trooper applicants and CVEO applicants.
