OLYMPIA -- Washington State Patrol is losing troopers at an alarming rate. A new report commandeered by the state suggests the agency should lower their standards when hiring.

This new in-depth study handed to lawmakers on December 15th looks at why incredible numbers of troopers are leaving their posts.

Low morale and the fact that troopers are the lowest paid in the state are the root issues.

The 188 page report also makes bold recommendations for the agency; like revamping the psychological testing portion that was deemed too strict. And not automatically rejecting applicants with misdemeanor convictions or past drug use.

But WSP says the agency is holding on to their current hiring standards.

“It's not to say we won't revisit that issue but I know in the short term it's not something we're looking at,” WSP Spokesperson Kyle Moore explained. “We don't want to have any issues along the way and we want to maintain our integrity.”

In the meantime, the 91 trooper vacancies are still there, leaving drivers vulnerable, especially on nights like New Year’s Eve.

“We have certain emphasis patrols and if we don't have enough troopers to staff them than the odds are there's going to be more impaired drivers on the road,” Moore added.

As far as NYE DUI patrols are concerned, administrators are working the holiday to fill some of those slots. There’s also the option to use overtime for additional patrols too.