My Washington State Patrol Relationship

Looking back throughout my lifetime it really is amazing and ironic at the same time the way many of my friendships and acquaintances have become. A perfect example is my friendship my WSP Trooper Jim and my relationship with his detachment based in Colfax, WA
Without getting into a long drawn out boring read of how this special friendship developed I think a snapshot will suffice just fine.
As most know the Palouse region is one of my favorite areas for photography and on many trips in the past I have had fellow photographer friends join me. On one such trip a couple of years back professional photographer Don Hall joined me for a few days in the Palouse. On a scouting trip he took me to a view overlooking a gorgeous 900 acres of prime Palouse farmland. As we were getting ready to leave that night the owner of the land came out to greet us, upon our initial meeting the land owner was the most gracious humble individual I have ever meet he basically opened his land to us to photography. Thus the relationship starts the Land owner and Farmers name is Vic, a retired school teacher of 30 years. Where my Trooper friend comes into the story is that Vic is Jim's father-n-law, so if it wasn't for Don Hall or Vic coming out that night to greet us my friendship with Jim and the Colfax, WA WSP detachment probably would have never became.
Extending from my relationship, friendship with Jim and the WSP, I have been asked to shoot many different engagements such as DUI awareness campaigns, Detachment group photos, individual Trooper and Officer portraits.  One of the most emotional WSP shoots I did was the 2012 Fallen Officer Memorial and 2012 Trooper of the year award ceremony.
It was truly a blast photographing Jim receiving the 2012 Trooper Of The Year Award for his district, with that award he was presented with a cool awesome unmarked car it is Red and I mean bright, bright red .
So in a snapshot that is how my friendship and relationship with the WSP was started, I have to say I have the utmost respect for these Troopers putting their life on the line day in and day out, especially in the crazy society we now live in.
I hope you enjoy a small collection of images below of the WSP

                                         Twenty One gun Salute for the Fallen Officers of the WSP
                                         a very emotional event in that the WSP lost a Trooper in 2012

                                         This is the WSP Colfax Detachment a super group of hard
                                         working dedicated Troopers based in Colfax, WA

                                         My Trooper friend Jim posing with his brand new unmarked
                                         car which he earned for being named Trooper of the year for
                                         his district and yea it really is this red

                                         Jim and fellow Trooper Bruce posing next to their unmarked
                                         vehicles those are some fast cars right there

                                         Jim receiving the 2012 Trooper of the year award from the
                                         chief of the WSP at the WSP academy in Shelton, WA

                                         Another Colfax detachment photo that includes Karen the
                                         secretary for the Colfax detachment

                                                    Playing Taps on the roof of the WSP academy
                                                    during the 2012 Fallen Officer Memorial

                                         A WSP Trooper prayer during the 2012 Fallen Officer
                                         Memorial at the WSP Academy in Shelton, WA

                                             Jim and his wife Lisa along with the WSP Chief and
                                             Brad the former Sargent of Jim's Detachment