Police Entry Level

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Take-home electric vehicle program! 

Thank you for your interest in joining our team as an entry level police officer!

We applaud your decision to seek a career where you prioritize service over self. We seek law enforcement professionals of the highest caliber to help achieve our mission, which is to “protect and serve our community with honor, integrity and courage.”

Working for the Kirkland Police Department offers an unparalleled opportunity to be an integral part of a forward-thinking department that prioritizes community policing, the safety of our students, crime reduction and proactive protection of our community members. We pride ourselves on our professionalism, our strong sense of teamwork and our ability to respond and adapt to our community’s needs.

 
  • Salary & Benefits

    The City of Kirkland Police Department is one of the best-paid departments in the State of Washington, with excellent benefits and generous incentives.

    Rates and incentives for 2024 are:

    SALARY

    Starting Officer  Patrol Officer IV    Patrol Officer III   Patrol Officer II     Patrol Officer I 
    $7,780.85 $8,423.72 $8,898.84 $9,524.26 $10,144.82


    EDUCATION INCENTIVE

    AA Degree     BA/BS Degree     Graduate Degree    
     2.0% 4.0%  4.5% 


    SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT INCENTIVE

    Detective     Traffic Officer    K-9 Handler    Pro-Act Officer  

    Training Officer, 
    SRO, NRO

     5.0% 4.0% 4.0% 3.0% 2.0%


    AUXILIARY DUTY INCENTIVE

    Firearms Instructor    Defensive Tactics
    Instructor

    SWAT (SRT or HNT)
    Less Lethal Instructor
     2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 2.0%

     

     

    OTHERS

    Physical Fitness Incentive*   Accreditation Incentive   Night Shift Differential**  
     1.0% 1.0% 1.0%


    *NOTE:
     Employees shall be eligible for a physical fitness incentive as provided in the Kirkland Police Guild Labor Agreement.

    **NOTE: A premium of 1 percent will be added to the monthly rate of pay for employees who are assigned to the patrol night shift.

    LONGEVITY PAY (MONTHLY)

    YRS 5-9   YRS 10-14  
    YRS 15-19  
    YRS 20-24  
     25 YRS  
     2.5% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 9.0%

     

    VACATION (HOURS PER YEAR)

    1 YR   YRS 2-4   YRS 5-7  
    YRS 8-10  
    YRS 11-13  
    YRS 14-16  
    YRS 17-19  20 YRS
     104 hrs  114 hrs 138 hrs 146 hrs 154 hrs 170 hrs 186 hrs 202 hrs

     

    HOLIDAYS

    Thirteen days per year. In addition, employees who actually work Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Presidents Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Year's Day are paid at a rate of one and one-half times the employee's hourly rate.

    HOLIDAY PAY

    Employees now can cash out holiday time twice per year.

    MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION

    The City pays the full premium cost of medical/dental/vision plans for the employee and family under the City of Kirkland self-insured HDHP Plan or Kaiser Permanente. Flexible Medical Spending and Retirement Medical accounts are available. Retirees may now purchase health insurance through the City’s plan or Kaiser Permanente at a retiree rate.

    UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT

    Each officer is completely outfitted upon appointment and is provided replacements as needed. Uniform cleaning is provided free of charge.

    RETIREMENT

    State LEOFF II MEBT

    Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters State Retirement Plan II (LEOFF II) is the current retirement system. Employees are eligible for vested retirement after three years of service and attainment of age 53, the amount equaling two percent of the final average salary for each year of service. The City's employees elected to withdraw from the Social Security system and invest in the Municipal Employee's Benefit Trust Fund (MEBT), which matches and exceeds the benefits under Social Security. Employee contributions are matched by the City. Upon retirement or separation, the employee is allowed to collect all of his/her trust fund contributions, plus the vested portion of the City's contribution. After three years, the employee is fully vested in the City's matching contribution.

    Here is the formula we will use to calculate your monthly benefit: Service credit months ÷ 12 x 2% x Final Average Salary* = Monthly Benefit * Average your monthly salary from the highest-paid 60 consecutive months in which you earned service credit. Usually, this is your last 60 months of service.

    LIFE INSURANCE

    The City provides life insurance for the officer at a benefit of two times the officer salary.

    Assignments & Patrol Shifts

    Both entry level and lateral officers will initially be assigned to Patrol as a uniformed officer, handling calls for service and conducting routine patrol functions. After two years in Patrol, officers will be eligible to test for other assignments.

    Hours of Work
    Must be available to work 10 hour rotating shifts. Patrol officers work four 10 hour shifts, followed by three days off. Officers work Monday - Thursday or Thursday - Sunday. Available shifts are days, swing, and nights, and are bid by seniority once per year.

    The Police Academy
    Entry level officers will attend the 720-hour Basic Law Enforcement Academy while being paid by the department. Kirkland Police entry level officers commute daily to the academy for training.

    The Field Training
    All entry level officers have to complete a fifteen week Police Training Officer (PTO) program. During this period, you will be teamed with different training officers learning the procedures and operations of the department.

    Physical Fitness Test

    The Physical Ability Test standards are as follows:

    • Push-Ups:  20 push-ups in 90 seconds
    • Sit-Ups:  25 sit-ups in 90 seconds
    • Squat Thrusts:  35 squat thrusts in 3 minutes

     

     

    Position Qualifications

    Entry Level (persons with no prior experience) - must be 21 years of age with a high school diploma or GED, have no felony convictions and must have or be able to obtain a valid Washington State Driver's License. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Entry level officers will attend the 720-hour Basic Law Enforcement Academy while being paid by the department. Upon graduation from the Basic Law Enforcement Academy, entry level officers will be placed in a fifteen week Police Training Officer (PTO) program for field training. Entry level officers are on probation for twelve months from date of assignment to solo patrol.

     

    Position Disqualifiers

    The following are automatic disqualifiers - Applicants should not apply to our agency if they indicate any of the following:

    Driving

    • One or more traffic crime convictions in last five years. (DWI, Suspended, Reckless, etc.)
    • Suspension of driver's license within past five years.
    • Applicant's driving record will be carefully reviewed.

    Drug Use

    • Illegal use of ANY controlled substance while employed in a criminal justice capacity.
    • Pattern of illegal use of prescription medication.
    • All illegal drug use will be closely scrutinized on a case by case basis.

    Criminal Activity

    • Any adult felony conviction.
    • Any misdemeanor or felony conviction while employed in a criminal justice capacity.
    • Adult misdemeanor convictions will be carefully reviewed.
    • Juvenile felony convictions will be carefully reviewed.
    • Been convicted of any crime under a domestic violence statue.
    • Sold drugs.

    Employment

    • Been dishonorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces.
    • Lied during any stage of the hiring process.
    • Falsified his or her application, personal history questionnaire, or any other forms during hiring process.
    • Previous revocation or denial of any (CJTC/POST) certified status, or suspension of current CJTC/POST certified status.

    Financial

    • Failure to pay income tax or child support.
    • Current credit accounts, or unresolved accounts in collection will be carefully reviewed.
    • Any conduct or pattern of behavior that would tend to disrupt, diminish or otherwise jeopardize public trust in the law enforcement profession.

    Other

    • Exposed tattoos which can not be covered by a standard uniform of the day. Arm and leg tattoos may be approved by the Chief of Police after review by the Tattoo Approval Committee. 

     

       

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I apply with your department?

    Entry level officers can apply online at  Public Safety Testing

     

    How many positions are available?

    We maintain a continuous hiring list to draw from when openings occur. Please contact :

    Lieutenant Lisa Brouelette

    425-587-3403

    policerecruiting@kirklandwa.gov

     

    How long must I be with the Kirkland Police Department before I can get a promotion or move to a specialty position?

    To be eligible for promotion to Corporal you need to have a minimum of three (3) years full time police experience as a commissioned police officer with the City of Kirkland. To be eligible for promotion to Sergeant you need a minimum of five (5) years full time experience as a commissioned police officer with four (4) years of service in Kirkland. You must be with the department 2-3 years (depending on the specialty assignment) before testing for specialty assignments. Officers may test for training cadres at any time after the probationary period.

     

    What's the schedules / shifts like for entry level officers?

    Must be available to work 10 hour rotating shifts. Patrol officers work four 10 hour shifts, followed by three days off. Officers work Monday - Thursday or Thursday - Sunday. Available shifts are days, swing, and nights, and are bid by seniority.

     

    How long is field training?

    All entry level officers have to complete a fifteen week Police Training Officers (PTO) program. During this period you will be teamed with different training officers learning the procedures and operations of the department.

     

    How long is the Police Academy?

    Entry level officers will attend the 720-hour Basic Law Enforcement Academy while being paid by the department. Kirkland Police entry level officers commute daily to the academy for training.

     

    Must I live within a certain distance from the city?

    No. Officers live all over the Puget Sound area.

    For commissioned officers:

    To receive a electric commuter vehicle, you must live outside of Kirkland and the 5 surrounding cities, as well as at least 10 miles away from the Kirkland Justice Center. 

    If you live in Kirkland or one of the 5 surrounding cities and are 10 miles from the Kirkland Justice Center, a $500 per month premium is available.

     

    When should I apply?

    You can apply anytime after you have met the minimum requirements for the position. You may not apply in anticipation of meeting the minimum requirements sometime in the near future.

     

    How long does the background investigation take?

    Once an entry level applicant has completed the physical fitness test, written test, and oral interview with passing scores and is selected for a background investigation, the approximate time for the investigation is two months.

     

    What does the physical fitness test consist of?

    The Physical Ability Test standards are as follows:

    • Push-Ups:  20 push-ups in 90 seconds
    • Sit-Ups:  25 sit-ups in 90 seconds
    • Squat Thrusts:  35 squat thrusts in 3 minutes

    Find the complete information on the physical fitness testing website.

    What happens if I fail a portion of the testing process?

    An applicant may re-apply with the department after six months from their previous test date if they fail a portion of the testing. An applicant receiving a permanent disqualification from the testing process may not re-apply with the department.