Concern with lack of candidates in WSP classes

I have a genuine concern about the young men and women of America! We have tens of thousands of young people in our state looking for work.

However, the Washington State Patrol is facing a crisis because they can’t find enough good candidates to fill a class.

They prefer to have 60 people in each class as that is the optimum size for their facilities and instructors. They recently advertised extensively, and they did not get enough candidates to fill a class.

The Chief of the WSP said in a recent interview that they had enough applicants but only three or four out of 100, qualified for the class.

They prefer to have 60 in a class, but they recently started a class with just over 30. The Chief didn’t specify the exact numbers that caused the disqualifications.

However, he said past drug use of both street and prescription drugs used illegally were main factors. Their people do have to be the cream of the crop. To have a percentage this low that qualifies for the classes is discouraging, as some of the class may not qualify.

Are we failing that badly as a society?

Gerald W. Ray, Spokane