WSP Stands to Lose Nearly 10 Percent of Troopers over Vax Mandate

As the clock ticks towards Gov. Inslee's and the state's deadline for the 'get the vaccine or get fired' mandate, the Washington State Patrol is having to possibly face a nightmare.

According to state figures, 8.5 percent of the actual highway Trooper workforce, 91 patrol officers, have either not submitted any vaccination data or applied for a religious or other exemption. They've been 'quiet.'

Some Troopers are asking for exemptions based upon anti-body tests because they've already had COVID, many of them the Delta variant. But so far Gov. Inslee and others are against that type of exemption.

WSP also says they could lose up to 61 persons in their administrative and support services areas. While 8.5 percent may not seem like a lot of Troopers, it would cause a significant impact, especially based upon where these WSP officers are deployed.

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King County already negotiated a 'delay' or 'deal' with 95% of it's union public workers allowing them a lot more time to either retire, leave, or get vaccinated, but that option has not been expanded to the rest of the state.

It appears the state and many vaccine-mandated workers are playing a game of chicken, and come October 18th, we will see who blinks.

Meanwhile, not a peep in the last ten days or so from Gov. Inslee or other state officials on this matter. However, Inslee did manage to visit Walla Walla Thursday Oct.7th  to talk to workers, and explore how climate change is allegedly affecting the wine industry.