Peninsula Daily News News Services
OLYMPIA — Tough budget times are prompting the Washington State Patrol to reduce the number of pilots and flight hours in its airplane law enforcement program.
Two of the nine trooper-pilots are being assigned to ground duty.
The planes flew about 7,000 hours in the last biennium.
In the two-year period that started July 1, KING5-TV reports the state hopes to fly around 4,000 hours.
Capt. Jeff DeVere says “these are some of the tough times we saw coming this last legislative session.”
And he adds that while the planes will still be used in search and rescue, the state may have to say no to some requests.
