Washington’s Ongoing Law Enforcement Shortage

The saying “there’s never a cop around when you need one” rings so very true, especially here in Washington. For the 15th year in a row, the Evergreen State has ranked LAST when it comes to staffing for law enforcement, and it seems like that position won’t change any time soon.

That is not a great look for our state.

Washington's Police Staffing Crisis Hits 15-Year Mark

The economy is hurting, people are broke, stressed, and are feeling helpless and out of options. That’s when they can lash out, commit crimes, hurt themselves, and others.

Having well-trained, good-intention officers can help, but according to FBI Data that was analyzed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, Washington is adding officers, but not as many as are needed.

What the Latest Numbers Say About Officer Shortages

According to WASPC,  and reported by Axios, Washington added 292 officers across the state last year, and per capita, that rose slightly to 1.36 from 1.34 in 2023. You might think that number is a lot, but compared to the rest of the United States, we ranked at 51, behind all other states and D.C..

READ MORE: The Serial Killer Born in Toppenish, Washington

Why Recruitment Is Still Falling Short in Washington

With officers moving, retiring, and flat out hanging up the badge, it’s getting harder and harder to get new recruits. Turning on the news or social media, you see the disdain of authorities growing, and one bad apple can cause a lot of mistrust.

Then you have the other side, where the officers are doing their job, and doing it correctly, but so many people feel entitled and think that the law doesn’t apply to them.

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One of my favorite comedians, Kyle Kinane, said it best:

“At worst, it’s a customer service job, where the customer hates you… ALL THE TIME.”

It’s a tough job and a tough career, enforcing the law, when the people higher up in Washington government, the lawmakers, don’t seem to have their backs. Hopefully, things can change.