The Enterprise - White Salmon, Washington

B-WSPD still seeking another officer

Looking at lateral position

Sverre Bakke

February 26, 2013

In what has turned into an ongoing effort to fill a vacancy in its ranks, the Bingen-White Salmon Police Department has been authorized by the local Civil Service Commission to test with the Skamania County Sheriff's Office for a lateral officer position.

Police Chief Tracy Wyckoff said B-WSPD will be testing with Skamania County in the hope of attracting more local interest in filling its need for another commissioned officer.

"Skamania does its own testing and supplies its Civil Service Commission with the results," Wyckoff noted. "As a rule, it brings in local interest."

The Bingen-White Salmon Civil Service Commission contracts with a third-party administrator, publicsafetytesting.com, for access to officer candidate lists established through written examinations and physical ability testing conducted across the state.

The problems with that process, according to Wyckoff, are twofold: the test is currently a one-time test, and individuals from the region who might want to test for an opening "usually have to take the test out of the local area."

He added, "I find local people will not always travel to Seattle, Yakima, or Spokane, to take the test." Wyckoff said he "was unable to find what the department needs during my last go-round" with Public Safety Testing.

"I only had three candidates on my last list," he noted. "One was hired by another department just prior to me making an offer."

In any event, Wyckoff said he intends to hire one officer this year -- "with my preference being a lateral, but we may have to look at an entry level" -- to bring B-WSPD's staffing level to four full-time officers.

Long term, Wyckoff said his goal is to have a five-officer force in place by the end of 2014.