Lateral Experienced Police Officer

Join the Lakewood Police Department!

Open Continuous Recruitment | Experienced Officers Only

The City of Lakewood Police Department is seeking experienced, qualified law enforcement officers who are committed to professional policing, community partnerships, public safety, and service with integrity.

This recruitment is exclusively for lateral (experienced) Police Officer applicants. Individuals who do not meet the lateral eligibility requirements should consider applying through the City's Entry-Level Police Officer recruitment process.

Qualified lateral officers hired by the City of Lakewood will receive

80 hours of leave upon hire.

An additional 80 hours of leave upon successful completion of the required probationary period.

This represents a total of 160 hours of additional leave, subject to applicable City policies and employment agreements.

Important Application Instructions

Complete and submit the City of Lakewood's online employment application and supplemental questions.

Applicants must provide complete and accurate information regarding their employment history, training, law enforcement experience, and qualifications.

Hiring and Civil Service Examination Process

The City of Lakewood administers Police Officer recruitment and selection in accordance with the City of Lakewood Civil Service Rules and applicable to Washington state law.

1. Continuous Applications

Online applications are accepted on a continuous basis. Examinations and interviews will be scheduled as needed to establish and maintain eligibility lists and fill Police Department vacancies.

2. Application Review and Oral Board Interviews

Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications will be considered for an oral board examination.

Qualified applicants will be invited to schedule interviews on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to available examination appointments.

Applicants not scheduled for an examination session may remain in consideration for future sessions, subject to continued eligibility and applicable recruitment procedures.

3. Minimum Passing Score

Candidates must obtain a minimum score of 70% on the oral board examination to pass.

4. Civil Service Eligibility List

Candidates who successfully complete the examination process will be ranked on a Civil Service eligibility list based on their final examination scores and any applicable preference points.

Candidates certified to a continuous eligibility list will generally remain eligible for one year from their individual certification dates, unless their eligibility is otherwise extended or terminated under the Civil Service Rules.

Rankings may change when additional qualified candidates are certified through subsequent examinations or when authorized preference adjustments are applied.

5. Candidate Referral and Selection

As vacancies occur, candidates will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Rule of Five and other applicable provisions of the City of Lakewood Civil Service Rules.

Candidates selected for further consideration may participate in an interview with the Chief of Police or designee and undergo a comprehensive background investigation.

6. Conditional Employment Requirements

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of applicable pre-employment requirements, which include:

A comprehensive background investigation.

Medical examination.

Psychological evaluation.

Polygraph examination.

Verification of applicable law enforcement certification and other employment requirements.

The hiring process may vary based on scheduling, background investigation requirements, and departmental staffing needs. The estimated time from the commencement of a background investigation to appointment is approximately three months, although individual timelines may vary.

The City reserves the right to administer recruitment, examinations, candidate certification, and appointments in accordance with the applicable Civil Service Rules and governing law.

Under the direction of a Police Sergeant, perform general duty police work involving resolution of citizen and public safety concerns; the protection of life and property; the enforcement of laws and ordinances; the prevention and investigation of crimes; and maintenance of order.

The incumbent in this position: will help create and nurture a community-oriented public safety department as envisioned by the City Council and set forth in the department vision and values statement; will respond positively to citizen concerns, encourage citizen involvement and the development of creative approaches to public safety; will participate in the coordination of Police Department efforts to impact perceived and actual crime problems; and will provide feedback to the department on community concerns and initiatives.

Essential duties may include but are not limited to the following

Attendance

• Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.
• May be subject to extended work hours and call back outside of normal shift hours or days.

Conduct Police Investigations

• Act as primary investigator of all crimes occurring within assigned areas during duty hours; make on scene arrests when warranted; protect crime scenes in situations warranting additional investigation; use varying and justifiable degrees of physical force to overcome resisting suspects and to protect self and others from injury.
• Investigate and/or handle complaints involving family disputes, juvenile disputes, mentally disabled persons.
• Investigate traffic accidents in various weather and traffic conditions; physically direct traffic; place temporary traffic control devices such as portable stop signs, barricades and other forms of directional signing as needed.

Knowledge of Regulatory Compliance/Laws

• Provide the public with general information on laws and ordinances; explain process of filing a formal complaint; direct citizens to appropriate authorities as necessary, reassure the p