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2021 Annual Report: District 5

Trooper Shane Kesler involved in a collision on State Route 14 after being struck head-on.
Trooper Shane Kesler involved in a collision on State Route 14 after being struck head-on.
Washington State Patrol Honor Guard honoring Trooper Justin Schaffer at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
Washington State Patrol Honor Guard honoring Trooper Justin Schaffer at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
Chehalis Troopers honoring Trooper Justin Schaffer at the unveiling of his memorial at the Chehalis Detachment Office.
Chehalis Troopers honoring Trooper Justin Schaffer at the unveiling of his memorial at the Chehalis Detachment Office.
Trooper Will Finn participating in “Shop with a Cop” community outreach event.
Trooper Will Finn participating in “Shop with a Cop” community outreach event.

Overview

District 5 is situated in southwestern Washington with headquarters in Vancouver.  The district provides service in Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Lewis, and Skamania counties.  These consist of approximately 9,666 square miles of land, which includes two Interstate Highways and 27 State Routes.  On these highways, the field units cover a total of 762 miles.

Detachments are located in Chehalis, Goldendale, Kelso, and Vancouver.  There are approximately 172 employees assigned to law enforcement, traffic investigations, license fraud, narcotics investigations, vehicle inspections, communications, and support services.  A crime laboratory is also located within district confines.

Key Measurements and Statistics

Successes of 2021

District 5 has experienced an overall increase in serious injury and fatality collisions; however, the district saw a decrease in most rural autonomous patrol areas throughout Klickitat, Lewis, and Skamania County.  Additionally, the district has experienced a significant turnover in the leadership team, which has created opportunities to grow and develop the future leaders of the organization.  The safety of employees remains one of the top priorities in the district.  Despite significant weather challenges and dangerous working conditions throughout the winter months, the district has avoided any significant injuries to their employees despite a number of patrol car collisions.

The License Investigation Unit partners with the Department of Revenue to ensure Washington residents comply with state law, specific to vehicle registration requirements.  In 2021, the team recovered over a million dollars in lost revenue through this partnership and investigative efforts.

With the significant increase of serious injury and fatality collisions in the district, the district has re-organized its autonomous patrol areas to create a Target Zero Team.  This team is dedicated to traffic safety and will focus their efforts on the apprehension of impaired drivers.  Every impaired driver removed from roadways is a potential life saved.

Contact us

Mailing Address
Washington State Patrol
PO Box 42600
Olympia, WA 98504

Physical Address
Washington State Patrol
Helen Sommers Building
106 11th Avenue SW
Olympia, WA 98501

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