Cost to Replace Washington State Patrol Troopers Lost to Vaccine Mandate Tops $12.4 Million

Washington State Patrol troopers stop vehicles at a road block on Washington Highway 530 near a massive mudslide in Darrington, Wash., on March 28, 2014. David Ryder/Getty Images

Washington State Patrol’s (WSP) decision to terminate the employment of 127 people on Tuesday for refusing to comply with Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate will end up costing the state’s taxpayers millions of dollars.

For the fiscal year 2022, training costs are estimated to be about $168,000 per cadet, according to Chris Loftis, WSP communications director.