After 25 years of service to the citizens of the state – and the Enumclaw Plateau in particular – Trooper John McCallum has said farewell to the Washington State Patrol.

A Seattle native and graduate of Ingram High School, McCallum began his career with the State Patrol on March 18, 1985, as a trooper cadet assigned to guard the governor’s mansion. He graduated with the 62nd WSP academy class and was commissioned on Dec. 20, 1985, assigned to District 2 in Bellevue. In 1990, he requested a transfer to the Enumclaw area where he spent the bulk of his career. A notable break in service from patrolling the Plateau came when he accepted an assignment in Washington, D.C., to the U.S. Department of Transportation as law enforcement liaison to the Federal Railroad Administration.

Late in 1999 he returned to District 2 in Enumclaw where he remained for the duration of his career as a senior patrol trooper, field training officer and academy driving instructor. He has received numerous commendations, including a Chiefs Coin in recognition of his dedication to the Field Training Officer program. The award came after McCallum finished training his 26th cadet, more cadets than any other FTO in the history of the State Patrol.

“This is a huge accomplishment,” said Lt. Dave Scherf of the WSP. “It takes an enormous amount of patience and dedication to become a successful FTO in this agency. He is a mentor to other FTOs within the agency and is often relied upon to train cadets that require extra training before they can become commissioned troopers.”

McCallum’s final day in uniform was Thursday.