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State Patrol Trooper/Inspector position description

Duties | Skills | Is this for me?

Upon successful completion of the State Patrol Academy, Troopers and Inspectors enforce state laws, administrative orders and regulations relating to the protection of life and to the operation of motor carriers, school buses and other vehicles.

Duties

Most motorists are familiar with State Patrol Troopers and Inspectors who:

• Make criminal arrests
• Administer field sobriety tests and preliminary breath tests
• Observe the operation and condition of vehicles to ascertain compliance
• Investigate and protect crash scenes
• Administer emergency first-aid to crash victims
• Collect, preserve, and document evidence
• Provide testimony to the court for arrests
• Provide assistance to motorists and the public
• Enforce traffic laws
• Assist local law enforcement agencies with security at large public events such as the Green Bay Packer games, Wisconsin Badger football and the EAA Air Venture

Troopers are also responsible for:

• Legal evidence relating to the cause of serious injury and fatal crashes
• Forensic mapping of crime scenes
• Protecting the Wisconsin governor when traveling

Inspectors are also responsible for:

• Weighing trucks to ensure compliance with state weight and license laws
• Conducting detailed safety inspections
• Apprehending and escorting trucks that fail to stop at scales
• Reconstructing serious crashes involving commercial vehicles
• Enforce federal motor carrier regulations

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Skills, knowledge and abilities required to be come a Trooper or Inspector

• Observation and recall
• Analytical skills including reasoning and problem solving
• Written communication
• Interpersonal responsiveness and reliability
• Basic mathematics
• Ability to read and interpret complex written materials such as laws, policies and procedures
• Effective work habits
• Organizational skills including the ability to work under pressure and prioritize

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Is this for me?

Not everyone has the ability or temperament to successfully undertake a long-term career in police work. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I possess good judgment?
• Can I withstand the strenuous physical and mental training?
• Can I work long hours under sometimes rugged conditions?
• Can I exercise self-control when facing physical or verbal abuse?
• Can I withstand unethical pressure, fear and danger?
• Can I be trusted to uphold the law without prejudice or partiality?

Teamwork is essential to meet today’s complex law enforcement challenges. We encourage you to become a member of the Wisconsin State Patrol team—a team that prides itself on its ability to work together effectively.

For more information contact Cathie Cunningham at (608) 266-3425 or the State Patrol Academy at (608) 269-2500 ext. 0.

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Questions about the content of this page:
State Patrol jobs, jobs.statepatrol@dot.state.wi.us
Last modified: January 26, 2009