SCITUATE –– If you want to wear the boots and breeches, now’s your chance.

The Rhode Island State Police are recruiting through Aug. 3 for a training academy that will put 35 new troopers on the road by next fall.

The need for new troopers is urgent: with mandatory retirements after 25 years, the vacancies at the state police will have climbed to 35 by next summer, said Col. Brendan Doherty, superintendent of the state police.

Although there hadn’t been money for an academy in the governor’s original 2009 budget proposal, ongoing negotiations toward the end of the session at the General Assembly came up with $360,151 for this fiscal year to recruit candidates for the upcoming academy. The state police will need about $1.032 million in the next fiscal year to finance the 21-week academy when it begins next June, said Maj. Joseph Miech, who oversees the training academy.

The immediate need, coupled with last-minute financing in the new state budget, finally gave Doherty the opportunity to launch this recruitment drive.

“We want to attract only those people who are serious about serving the community,” Doherty said, announcing the recruitment drive outside the Rhode Island State Police Museum on Wednesday. “Honor. Integrity. Fairness. Courage. Devotion to Duty. These are values the Rhode Island State Police live by each day.”

At the basic level, candidates must be between 18 and 35 years old, hold a valid driver’s license, be a U.S. citizen, and have earned at least a high school diploma or GED. The process to qualify for the training academy includes written and physical tests, psychological exams and background checks, and oral exams before being judged for admittance to the 21-week academy. Recruits in the academy receive a $1,300 biweekly salary.

Competition is always stiff. About 3,000 people applied for the last academy, held four years ago. Miech, who will lead this training academy with Lt. Ernest Quarry Jr., said the state police have had about 9,000 contacts through the Web site over the years by people who want to be notified about the recruitment. Miech said the state police will send postcards to those people now to inform them about applying.

Two years ago, former superintendent Col. Steven M. Pare held two weeklong-diversity academy classes for women and minority men, intended to give them the experience of a real academy in the hopes it would encourage more minorities and women to apply. Doherty said the state police was reaching out to leaders in minority communities to urge people to apply, and he is offering informational presentations for community groups.

Applications must be submitted through the state police Web site at www.risp.ri.gov and received by Aug. 3. Candidates may also visit any of the state police barracks, the headquarters in Scituate, or the state Department of Labor and Training netWORKri offices and apply via the Internet. Call (888) 616-JOBS for office locations.

amilkovi@projo.com