State trooper hopefuls endure tryouts

Saturday, Oregon State Police were looking for the best and the brightest to join their force.  OSP held entry level testing for 308 men and women at Canby High School.  Phase one was a physical fitness test, comprised of timed push-ups, sit-ups and a two mile run.

“What appeals to me is the way I looked up to police officers when I was a little kid,” said applicant Damon Ashbeck.  “Now they’ll get to look up to me.”

For Ashbeck, failing was not an option.  He’s dreamed of becoming a state trooper for as long as he can remember.  He breezed through the push-up portion of the test.  But when it came to sit-ups, he barely made it.

“It was real close. It was real close,” Ashbeck said. “I had five seconds left and I still had to do two.”

Lt. Mike Paterson said just 50 percent of applicants usually pass the entry level test.  But Saturday, an impressive 60 percent made the cut.

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