Thirty-one Washington State Patrol troopers were sworn in at the state capitol Thursday in the 110th trooper basic training graduation.
During the official badge ceremony, each member of the class was presented with their badge and had it pinned by a family member.
“Opening the next chapter in the next 25 years of my life, I couldn’t be more thrilled with everything going on,” said Trooper Brenton Miller, who will serve in District 2 based out of Bellevue.
The 31 new troopers each completed over 1,000 hours of training and went through an eight-week field training trip where they contacted nearly 6,500 violators, arrested over 460 impaired drivers, and offered over 1,150 people physical assistance.
The new troopers will be stationed across the state; 11 will be based in Bellevue in District 2, eight in Ellensburg and Okanogan in District 6, three in Marysville in District 7, and three in Chehalis in District 5.
It’s highly competitive to become a state trooper. Washington State Patrol estimates less than four percent of people who apply and meet standards will actually be hired. Since the agency was started in 1921, just 3,323 Washington residents have served as troopers.