OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Patrol began its 100th year of service on Tuesday, September 1st.
Spokesman Chris Loftis says the Patrol swore-in its first 16 officers on September 1st, 1921 after three days of training.
He says they were all motorcycle officers who were given a badge, a sidearm, a citation book and camping gear as they would be deployed for months at a time.
They’ll be memorializing the 30 troopers who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty throughout the year.
The first of those was Vernon Fortin who died September 30th, 1923 while on his way to perform traffic duty at the Lynden Fair.
The Patrol today has over 1100 troopers and about the same number of support staff helping keep our highways safe.
Trooper Vernon Fortin (Photo courtesy of Washington State Patrol)