Washington State Patrol sees first lateral hires

Three new Washington State Patrol Troopers in Shelton are part of the first lateral program that allows certified law enforcement officers to sign on with WSP after shortened training.

Troopers Noah Cameron, Levi Gundacker and Daniel Osborn graduated with six other troopers in May.

“We need more great people to join our agency who’ll help us continue to meet the needs of Washingtonians. The bottom line is we have to think outside the historical box and still maintain the high standards for which our agency is known. Each of these nine has already proven they have what it takes to be a modern law enforcement officer, and each has already served their nation, their state, and their communities with distinction. It is a true honor to be serving with each of these fine professionals today and I welcome them aboard with open arms,” WSP Chief John R. Batiste said at the swearing-in ceremony.

The three Shelton troopers spoke with the Journal recently about the latest step in their law enforcement careers.

Osborn and Cameron worked as federal law enforcement officers at Naval Base Kitsap.

Gundacker moved to Washington after working as a trooper for the Idaho State Police.

Cameron has worked for three years in federal law enforcement and said he was first interested in joining the U.S. Marshals Service. He wanted to fight human trafficking and thought the Marshals would be a good fit. Then he learned about a WSP undercover operation that helped rescue a group of children from sex traffickers.

“I want to help kids,” Cameron said.

He qualified for condensed training as a WSP lateral transfer.

After three months as a trooper, Cameron said he sees some differences between WSP and his old job at the Naval Shipyard.

“I’m more independent,” he said.

When you are a federal officer, “you’re not allowed to do a whole lot,” Cameron said. Now he deals with all sorts of issues including traffic violations, assaults and domestic violence. Every day is different, he said.

Cameron also enjoys working with other Mason County law enforcement officers.

“We assist the Mason County sheriff and are really close with the county,” he said.

“We pick up the slack” if deputies need help in the field, Cameron said.

He’s currently assigned to Mason County but hopes to transfer to Kitsap County eventually. No matter what county he works in, he is happy being a trooper, he said.

“I love it. I love the culture,” Cameron said.

Gundacker said he was attracted to the WSP “level of professionalism and good reputation.”

He spent five years as an Idaho State Police trooper before making the change to WSP.

Gundacker said both agencies are very much into tradition and “chain of command.”

He commended WSP for introducing the lateral transfer program and said they were “willing to make that adjustment. Willing to adapt,” despite having never allowed similar transfers before.

Gundacker said he came to WSP with the hope of furthering his law enforcement career. WSP is a much larger organization than the ISP and Gundacker sees many new opportunities, he said.

“I really like it here in Shelton,” Gundacker said, although he thinks it would be fun to experience being a trooper in other counties.

Like Cameron, Osborn worked for Naval Base Kitsap.

“It was a lot of reactive work,” he said. There were military families at the base, so Osborn received calls about prowlers, domestic violence and other common dispatches for a community.

He said his work with WSP is “proactive,” in contrast. A trooper might see and help a stranded motorist, for example, or spot and pursue an impaired driver, he said.

Osborn also enjoys working with other Mason County officers.

“We all help each other. We have a very good work relationship,” he said.

Osborn said he always wanted to be a trooper, which may seem strange given his first encounter with the WSP.

“I’m from Guam. I was here visiting and looking for my families’ house,” he said. He didn’t know the area and was not familiar with the speed limit. He was driving faster than the posted speed, which he didn’t see, when a WSP trooper pulled him over.

“He was great.”

Osborn said he was impressed with the trooper’s courtesy and professionalism. The trooper gave Osborn an escort to his relatives’ home, he said.

“He still gave me a ticket,” Osborn said, laughing.

As with other lateral transfers, Osborn received shortened academy training, but he said “it sharpened my skills. Training is never done. Be flexible and learn every day.”

He said he wants to stay in the Shelton area now that he is an official WSP trooper.

“It’s beautiful.”