Ferguson keeping Batiste as Washington State Patrol chief

Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste has been reappointed by incoming Washington governor Bob Ferguson. (Courtesy of Washington State Patrol)

Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste will soon be serving under his third chief executive.

Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson on Thursday announced Batiste’s reappointment to lead the statewide law enforcement agency, a job Batiste has held for nearly two decades. 

Also Thursday, Ferguson announced he’s retaining three other members of Gov. Jay Inslee’s administration: Joel Sacks as director of the Department of Labor & Industries, Allyson Brooks as director of the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and Bill Kehoe as director of Washington Technology Solutions and the state’s chief information officer.

“With our challenges ahead, proven and thoughtful leadership is more important than ever,” Ferguson said in a statement. “I am proud that these four individuals will continue their service.”

On Friday, he said he was reappointing three additional agency leaders: Drew Shirk as director for the Department of Revenue, Scott McCallum as superintendent for the Washington State School for the Blind and Shauna Bilyeu as executive director for the Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth.

Ferguson has named leaders of more than a dozen agencies and departments ahead of his inauguration next month.

Ferguson hires

Below are Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson’s choices to lead state agencies as of Dec. 20.

Department of Children, Youth and Families — State Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island

Department of Ecology — Casey Sixkiller

Department of Corrections — Tim Lang

Department of Social and Health Services — Cheryl Strange 

Department of Labor & Industries — Joel Sacks

Department of Licensing — Marcus Glasper

Department of Veterans Affairs — David Puente Jr. 

Department of Agriculture — Derek Sandison

Department of Revenue — Drew Shirk

Office of Financial Management — K.D. Chapman See

Washington State Patrol — John Batiste

Employment Security Department — Cami Feek

Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation — Allyson Brooks

Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs — Tim Reynon

Washington Military Department — Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh

Director of Washington Technology Solutions — Bill Kehoe

Washington State School for the Blind — Scott McCallum

Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth — Shauna Bilyeu

Batiste could be a prominent figure in advancing Ferguson’s public safety agenda, which includes securing funding to help cities and counties hire officers and increasing safety on the state’s roadways.

Batiste joined the Washington State Patrol in March 1976, earning promotions through the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and deputy chief.

In 2005, then-governor Christine Gregoire appointed him to be the state patrol’s 21st chief. Gov. Jay Inslee kept him on when he took office in 2013 and Batiste is set to begin work for Ferguson on Jan. 15, 2025.

The Washington State Patrol has 1,100 positions budgeted for commissioned officers and 1,100 for civilian employees. Of its six bureaus, field operations is the most visible as it is responsible for traffic law enforcement, collision investigation, and motorist assistance on 17,524 miles of state and interstate highways.

The state’s crime lab and fire marshal are housed in the agency. And the Investigative Services Bureau includes the Firearms Background Division, a point of contact for all firearm-related background checks. 

Sacks has led the Department of Labor and Industries since 2013. The department oversees Washington’s workplace safety laws and workers’ compensation insurance program, and enforces the state’s wage and hour requirements.

In a release, Sacks said he was honored to join the Ferguson administration.

“I’m passionate about worker safety, and proud of what we’ve accomplished. As long as there are people hurt and killed on the job, we have a lot more to do,” he said.

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