Lateral / certified officer · Posted Jan 1, 2026
Police Officer LATERAL (Experienced Officers)
Pay
$132,072 to $154,248$132,072.00 - $154,248.00 Annually
Closes
Dec 31, 2026Closes Dec 31, 2026
Bonus
None stated
Laterals
Not stated
The posting
From GovernmentJobs.com · read Oct 1, 2026 · originalThe Seattle Police Department is looking to create a diverse team of hardworking, committed individuals with a passion for public service and who are deeply aligned with our City's values of Race and Social Justice. The City of Seattle is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, gender identity, political ideology, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, and local laws.
IMPORTANT ITEMS TO NOTE
THIS EXAM IS FOR EXPERIENCED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ONLY
, who meet all of the criteria for lateral entry. If you are not currently certified as a law enforcement officer or do not have required law enforcement experience, please apply for entry level police officer.
Speak with a Recruiter:
Complete
this form
and a recruiter will text you!
Attend a Virtual Applicant Workshop
:
Sign up here
to participate in an upcoming Seattle Police Applicant Workshop to learn more about policing careers, the Seattle Police Department, and tips to navigate our hiring process!
****Please read the entire job bulletin information carefully, as it contains important information on the hiring process.****
HIRING PROCESS
1. Apply:
All candidates must submit an application to the City of Seattle as soon as possible. To submit an application, click “Apply” at the top of this job bulletin. A resume and cover letter are
not
required.
2. Register and Complete Two (2
)
Exam Components
: The law enforcement exam components must be self-scheduled through the
National Testing Network (NTN)
. Examinations are offered virtually or at physical locations across the United States, and the City of Seattle will pay for the exam. The required exam components include:
Frontline National (Law Enforcement) Exam
Public Safety Self-Assessment (Parts 1 & 2)
You should receive your NTN exam results within approximately three weeks after applying and completing all components of your test (Frontline National and PSSA).
Exam Notes:
Candidates are
NOT
required to complete the NTN Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ) for the Seattle Police Department.
If you have taken the NTN exam for a department other than SPD within the last year, you can elect to send your scores to SPD at no cost via the “Department Add” feature in your NTN account. Please contact
NTN candidate support
if you need assistance transferring your scores to SPD.
3. Lateral Oral Board:
Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for lateral police officer and successfully pass all components of the NTN test listed above will be scheduled for an oral board interview, which will take place virtually via Microsoft Teams. Candidates who pass the oral board interview will be ranked on an eligible list according to their exam scores. After being placed on an eligible list, candidates must pass the below pre-employment steps to become a Seattle police officer.
4. Backgrounding:
Candidates who pass the civil service exams above will receive a link via email from the Seattle Police Background Unit to fill out their personal history information. SPD will then conduct a thorough investigation into the candidate’s history. Ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications for this position listed below.
5. Medical Evaluation, Psychological Exam, and Polygraph Exam:
Candidates must complete a medical evaluation that includes drug screening, medical history, vision and hearing test, and a stress EKG test. A psychological exam will be completed via Zoom. The medical tests can only be completed in person at specific Seattle locations currently.
6. Final Offer of Employment:
If the candidate completes and passes all the above steps, they will be given an official offer of employment with the Seattle Police Department.
PREFERENCE POINTS
The City of Seattle offers multiple forms of preference points. Preference points can only be applied to passing exam scores. Once you pass the exam, instructions for requesting preference points will be emailed along with your final exam results. All requests for preference points will be evaluated in accordance with
Rules 9.17 - 9.21
of the City of Seattle’s Public Safety Civil Service Commission.
Veteran’s Preference:
for candidates with qualifying military experience
Language (Multilingual) Preference:
for candidates with proficiency in a language other than English**
Human/Social Services Preference:
for candidates who have two or more years of verifiable full-time professional or volunteer experience or equivalent (4,160 cumulative hours) delivering direct human/social services**
City of Seattle Work Preference:
for candidates who have prior service as a Police Reserve in the Seattle Police Department as well as those who have served as 911 dispatchers and Parking Enforcement Officers
**Please note that candidates must pass the WAPAT in addition to their civil service exams (Frontline National and PSSA) in order to be eligible for language or community service preference points.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Seattle Police Department is seeking individuals committed to understanding and protecting the ethical, cultural, and ethnic values of the City of Seattle and its residents as Police Officers. As first responders, Police Officers are vital to public safety and under regular supervision, perform basic police services in accordance with the mission, goals, and objectives of the City of Seattle Police Department and in compliance with governing federal, state, and local laws.
Lateral Entry Police Officer
candidates are experienced police officers who have worked for other municipal, county, or state agencies for at least 24 of the past 36 months (post academy experience) at the time of testing, with full police powers and duties. An applicant MUST have experience as a patrol officer who has responded to 911 calls. Experience gained solely as a Corrections Officer does not qualif
About Seattle PD
Full department page- Starting pay$95,098
- Top of scale$154,248
- Sworn officers (2025)1064
- Open jobs4
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