Chief Ronal Serpas
Chief
Serpas was appointed chief of the Washington State Patrol in August 2001
by Governor Gary Locke. The WSP is the largest public safety and law enforcement
agency in the state employing more than 2,200 sworn officers and professional
support staff, and generating a biennial budget of $362.4 million. Chief
Serpas oversees the agency’s day-to-day management of the Field
Operations Bureau, Fire Protection Bureau, Forensic Laboratory Services
Bureau, Investigative Services Bureau, Management Services Bureau and
Technical Services Bureau.
During his tenure at WSP, Chief Serpas implemented the COMPSTAT Accountability Driven Leadership strategy throughout the agency, focusing the department’s entire management team on accountability, efficiency and effectiveness in traditional and non-traditional law enforcement areas.
In 2002, the first full year of the implementation of the Accountability Driver Leadership strategy, the WSP noted measurable success in many areas: Interstate fatality collisions decreased 24%, injury collisions dropped 4%, DUI arrests increased 35%, aggressive driving enforcement increased 77%, speeding enforcement increased 57%, total traffic stops increased 21%, arrests of narcotics offenders increased 52%, and citizen complaints lodged against WSP employees dropped 22% - all within existing budget and staffing allotments.
Prior to his service with the Washington State Patrol, Serpas served as assistant superintendent and chief of operations of the New Orleans Police Department where he began his law enforcement career in 1980. Serpas rose quickly through all supervisory ranks with leadership and command duties in every major facet of a modern urban police department including the Criminal Investigations Bureau, Management Services Bureau and the Special Operations Division (SWAT, Tactical, Traffic, etc).
Chief Serpas graduated from the University of New Orleans in 1998 receiving his PhD in Urban Studies. Also, Serpas is a graduate of the 25th Session of the FBI National Executive Institute.