Shortage of Troopers Resulting in Fewer DUI Arrests

Posted Thursday, February 18, 2016 by Andrew Charles Huff

Those who “drive hammered,” as the long-running anti-drunken driving ad goes, aren’t “getting nailed” nearly as often these days in Washington. Impaired driving charges are down by nearly a third around the state in the past decade.

One factor that cannot be ignored is the shortage of Washington State Patrol troopers, who specialize in DUI arrests. There are 115 vacancies in the ranks of troopers, and those who remain are working to keep up with call loads. The Legislature is debating bumping pay for troopers this year, which is needed because many other agencies pay officers much more than the base salary troopers earn.