Washington State Patrol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Washington State Patrol | |
| Common name | Washington State Patrol |
| Abbreviation | WSP |
 |
|
| Patch of the Washington State Patrol. | |
| Motto | Service With Humility |
| Agency Overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1921 |
| Legal personality | Governmental agency |
| Jurisdictional Structure | |
| Divisional agency | City of [[| ]] in the State of Washington , United States Of America |
| General nature |
|
| Operational Structure | |
| Sworn members | Nearly 1,000[1] |
| Unsworn members | +1,000[2] |
| Agency executive | John R. Batiste, Chief |
| Units |
List
|
| Boroughs |
List
|
| Facilities | |
| Districts | 8 |
| Planes | 3 |
| Website | |
| http://www.wsp.wa.gov/ | |
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is the state police agency for the State of Washington. The first six motorcycle patrolmen of the (then) Highway Patrol were commissioned September 1, 1921. The agency was renamed to Washington State Patrol in June of 1933. The current chief is Chief John R. Batiste.
The State Patrol has law enforcement authority anywhere in the State of Washington, with caveats for Federal property and may have limited authority on Indian reservations. They also have a memorandum of understanding with the Oregon State Police and are granted eight miles of jurisdiction into the State of Oregon.[citation needed] They are most frequently encountered by citizens on the state highways.
Individual officers of the Washington State Patrol are known as "Troopers."
Contents |
[edit] Vehicles
WSP patrol cars are usually white in color, however they can be of any color or make. The typical marked unit features two prominent features: the Washington State Patrol shield logo, and the dark blue "Thunder bolt" that underlies the State Patrol shield. In addition, marked vehicles bearing these markings usually feature the words "STATE PATROL" above the shield and Thunder bolt, and these features are usually found on the front right hand and front left hand door of the vehicle. WSP also operates unmarked units, including SUVs and sports cars such as the Camaro, and luxury cars such as Volvo. Some patrol cars are marked, but do not have light bars.
The overall design of the State Patrol vehicle marking (shield and Thunder bolt) remains largely unchanged since the 1930s.
[edit] Aviation
WSP has an aviation wing headquartered at the Olympia Airport. The Aviation Section provides aerial traffic enforcement and other law enforcement services. They also engage in drug enforcement missions and transport donor organs and blood supplies in medical emergencies.
[edit] Communications
WSP has its own statewide non-trunked, repeater-based, VHF radio network that covers the state. Towers for this network can be seen near highways and look like cell sites, but with longer antennas. In August, 2004, one of these towers near Vancouver, Washington was damaged by an arsonist, taking out WSP communications in Clark County.[3]
WSP dispatchers handle WSP, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Liquor Control Board, WSDOT and Washington State Parks.
[edit] Laboratories
WSP operates seven crime laboratories: full-service labs in Seattle, Tacoma, Marysville and Cheney, and limited-service laboratories in Vancouver, Kennewick and Tumwater. The WSP crime lab system provides service to all city and county law enforcement agencies in the state.
[edit] State Fire Marshal
Operating under the WSP, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Protection Bureau, provides services to fire districts, government agencies, members of the media, and the general public. These services include:
- fire incident reporting and data collection
- fire code review and adoption
- construction plan review for fire sprinkler and alarm systems
- fire inspections of high risk occupancies housing elderly and vulnerable populations
In addition, the Fire Protection Bureau regulates the fireworks and sprinkler industry through a licensing program.
WSP operates the State Fire Training Academy, which provides high-risk fire training to fire departments and fire protection districts. In addition, they provide a Certification Pragram through a standards and accreditation process. The Fire Protection Bureau also provides coordination of Washington State fire service resources for mobilization during natural or human-caused disasters. Hazardous materials training, fire and life safety prevention education, and public information services are also responsibilities of the Fire Protection Bureau. [4]
[edit] Uniforms
The current WSP uniform is a French Blue shirt with royal blue pocket flaps, French blue pants striped with royal blue, and a royal blue campaign hat. The WSP is one of only two state police agencies (New Mexico State Police being the other) that wear a black bow tie with their long sleeve shirts.
In 2007, WSP was awarded "Best Dressed State Law Enforcement Agency" by the National Association of Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors.[5]
[edit] Academy
The 190-acre large State Patrol academy is in Shelton, Washington. The Academy was given to the Washington State Patrol in 1947, and was dedicated on December 29, 1969. It includes a 2.7 mile emergency driving course which is an actual State Route.[citation needed]
[edit] Fallen Officers
Since the establishment of the Washington State Patrol, 26 officers have died in the line of duty. [6] The most recent, Trooper James E. Saunders, died on October 7, 1999, at the age of 31 from gunshot wounds while conducting a traffic stop in Pasco. At the time of his death, Trooper Saunders had served 8-1/2 years with the Washington State Patrol.[7]
| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Patrolman Vernon G. Fortin |
|
Motorcycle accident |
| Patrolman Irving M. Thorsvig |
|
Motorcycle accident |
| Patrolman Conrad C. Tolson |
|
Motorcycle accident |
| Patrolman H. Douglas Cossman |
|
Automobile accident |
| Patrolman William H. Pautzke |
|
Motorcycle accident |
| Captain Loren G. Ray |
|
Fall |
| Patrolman Allen E. Ludden |
|
Motorcycle accident |
| Trooper John H. Gulden |
|
Gunfire |
| Patrolman Thomas J. Hanlin |
|
Automobile accident |
| Patrolman Paul H. Johnson |
|
Gunfire |
| Patrolman Ivan Belka |
|
Automobile accident |
| Patrolman Donald R. Campbell |
|
Struck by vehicle |
| Patrolman John F. Wright |
|
Vehicular assault |
| Patrolman Eugene A. Bolstad |
|
Drowned |
| Patrolman Ernest E. Eichhorn |
|
Vehicular assault |
| Patrolman Wesley H. Whittenberg |
|
Struck by vehicle |
| Trooper Clarence C. Johnson |
|
Automobile accident |
| Trooper Charles Frank Noble |
|
Gunfire |
| Control Officer Joseph A. Modlin |
|
Struck by vehicle |
| Trooper Thomas L. Hendrickson |
|
Vehicular assault |
| Trooper Glenda Darlene Thomas |
|
Struck by vehicle |
| Trooper James S. Gain |
|
Struck by vehicle |
| Trooper Clifford R. Hansell |
|
Automobile accident |
| Trooper Raymond L. Hawn |
|
Struck by vehicle |
| Trooper Steven Lee Frink |
|
Vehicle pursuit |
| Trooper James E. Saunders |
|
Gunfire |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Washington State Patrol History and Organization
- ^ Washington State Patrol History and Organization
- ^ story. KATU TV.
- ^ Washington State Patrol Website http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/firemars.htm
- ^ "Wash. state troopers named best dressed", AP viaMSNBC, Oct. 24, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
- ^ The Officer Down Memorial Page http://www.odmp.org/agency/4114-washington-state-patrol-washington
- ^ WSP memorial. Washington State Patrol. Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
[edit] External links
- Washington State Patrol homepage
- WSP Forensic Laboratory Services
- Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial
- WSP radio frequencies
|
|||||||||||
