ISP looking to fill 25 state trooper positions. Your experience may be what they need.
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BOISE — The Idaho State Police are on the lookout for the best of the best to join their ranks and become an ISP trooper.
Local ISP spokesman Lt. Chris Weadick tells EastIdahoNews.com the department goes through cycles where their ranks may be full for a while, but due to retirements and promotions, times come where there are multiple positions available for new troopers. Currently, the department is trying to fill 25 spots. However, Weadick stressed that quality is far more important than quantity.
“We won’t ever lower standards to get candidates,” Weadick said. “If that means sometimes leaving positions open … then we are ok with doing that.”
The positions are available to both certified officers and new candidates that don’t have current law enforcement experience.
Weadick explained they hope for candidates with diverse backgrounds. This way, candidates’ personal talents and life experience can help them serve local communities in a variety of capacities. For example, some officers that started in banking backgrounds find they do great in the state’s crash reconstructionist department due to their technical way of thinking. People with truck-driving backgrounds have gone on to be successful in the commercial vehicle division. ISP has multiple departments that cater to people with different past experiences.
“We rely on these diverse backgrounds,” he said. “We are able to use their expertise in the job of being a police officer.”
The hiring process begins with the online application, where some will be invited to participate in interviews. After the interviews is a physical agility test and candidates will go through a full background check, including a polygraph test.
After passing the tests, they can be offered a job and officially be hired by ISP. New recruits will then go through the full training academy to learn all the skills they need to be successful. It’s a stressful, rigorous process, but one that Weadick says helps them find what they are looking for.
“It’s designed to make sure we are getting the best candidates possible,” he said. “Then they are ready to come out here and make a difference.”
For more information on what it takes to get involved, visit the ISP’s website.
If you want to apply, and you have a current POST Basic Patrol (or higher) Certificate, whether in Idaho or another state and with at least three years law enforcement experience in patrol, click here.
To apply without the above qualifications, click here.
The online test for both applications is due no later than Sunday, April 4.