Corrections Laterals

 

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Salary and Benefits

The City of Kirkland has one of the best-paid corrections departments in the State of Washington. Rates and incentives for 2024 are:

Salary
Lateral corrections officers start at pay rate depending on experience
($6,557 - $7,325/monthly)

Education Incentive
AA Degree ... 1.0%
BA/BS Degree ... 2.0%
Graduate Degree ... 3.0%

Physical Fitness Incentive ... 1.0%
Employees shall be eligible for a physical fitness incentive as provided in the Kirkland Police Guild Labor Agreement.

Accreditation Incentive ... 1.0%

Night Shift Differential ... 1.0%
A premium of 1% will be added to the monthly rate of pay for employees who are assigned to night shift.

Special Assignment Incentive
FTO (training officer) ... one hour, paid at time and half
Court Security ... 1.0% 

Auxiliary Duty Incentive
Firearms Instructor ... 2.0%
Defensive Tactics Instructor ... 2.0%
Less Lethal Instructor...2.0%
BAC Instructor...2.0%

Longevity Pay (Monthly)
Years 5 through 9 ... 2.5%
Years 10 through 14 ... 4.0%
Years 15 through 19 ... 6.0%
Years 20 through 24 ... 8.0%
25 years or more ... 9.0%

Vacation (hours per year)
First year of employment ... 104 hours
Years 2 through 4 ... 104 hours
Years 5 through 7 ... 128 hours
Years 8 through 10 ... 136 hours
Years 11 through 13 ... 144 hours
Years 14 through 16 ... 160 hours
Years 17 through 19 ... 176 hours
Twentieth year of employment ... 192 hours

Holidays
Twelve 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.

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

Retirement
PSERS MEBT

Corrections State Retirement Plan PSERS II provide full retirement benefits at age 65 with at least five years of service credit or at age 60 with ten years of PSERS service.  For those with at least twenty years of service, early retirement will be available at age 53, with a benefit reduction of three percent per year from age 60. 

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 up to 6.2%.  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.

 

 

Lateral Hiring Process

  • Apply at Government Jobs
  • Physical Fitness Test
  • Oral Board
  • Eligibility List (must score minimum of 70% in all areas to be placed on list)
  • Background Investigation
  • Conditional Job Offer
  • Psychological, Polygraph, Medical (including drug screening)
  • Chief's Interview   

    Apply Now - Lateral    

Applicants for the position of corrections officer must successfully complete the following Physical Fitness Ability Test (PFAT)*.  This is the same test that is required for entrance into the Corrections Officer Academy. 

 

Position Qualifications

Lateral (Experienced corrections officer) - Must have successfully completed an accredited Corrections Officer Academy curriculum and have a minimum of 12 months full-time service within the last 36 months (prefer current) as a sworn municipal or county corrections officer. Must be at least 21 years of age and have or be able to obtain a valid Washington State Driver's License. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. A lateral corrections officer whose state certification is recognized by the WSCJTC does not have to attend the Corrections Officer Academy. Out-of-state laterals do have to pass the WSCJTC 40hr Corrections Officer Equivalency Academy. Lateral corrections officers will be placed in an  abbreviated Field Training Officers program for field training. Lateral Officers are on probation for twelve months from date of hire.

 

Position Disqualifiers

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

Driving

  • 1 or more traffic crime convictions in last 5 years (DWI, Suspended, Reckless, etc.)
  • Suspension of driver's license within past 5 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.

 

Physical Fitness Test

Information about the physical fitness test can be found on the Public Safety Testing website