The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is the state police agency for the U.S. 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 1933. In 1925 William Cole was appointed as the first Chief. The current chief is Chief John R. Batiste.
The Washington State Patrol has law enforcement authority throughout the State of Washington, with caveats for Federal property, and limited authority on Indian reservations. WSP is one of two state law enforcement agencies considered to be a general authority law enforcement agency, the other being the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Individual officers of the Washington State Patrol are known as "Troopers" although they are infrequently colloquially referred to as "Staters", Troopers in western Washington, are most frequently encountered by citizens on the state highways. However, in the eastern portion of the state and in rural areas, Troopers work both state and county roadways, frequently assisting other agencies, as well as responding to general crimes in progress (such as calls for domestic violence.)
Read more about Washington State Patrol: Mission Statement, Rank Structure, Vehicles, Aviation, Communications, Laboratories, State Fire Marshal, Uniforms, Firearms, Academy, Controversies, Natural Resources, Fallen Officers, See Also
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“The city of Washington is in some respects self-contained, and it is easy there to forget what the rest of the United States is thinking about. I count it a fortunate circumstance that almost all the windows of the White House and its offices open upon unoccupied spaces that stretch to the banks of the Potomac ... and that as I sit there I can constantly forget Washington and remember the United States.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“They will take a state and human nature for their tablet, and begin by making a clean surface.”
—Plato (c. 427–347 B.C.)