Police Officer Recruit at City of Bellingham in Bellingham, WA

The City of Bellingham is actively seeking qualified applicants for the position of Police Officer Recruit.

JOB SUMMARY: Police Officer (Recruit) participates in formal and on-the-job training in law enforcement principles, techniques and procedures, departmental organization, rules, policies, and related laws. Also receives training in the use, care and maintenance of assigned equipment. Employees will remain in the Recruit classification in probationary status prior to and while attending the Police Academy.

With successful completion of the Police Academy, the employee shall move to the Full Performance Police Officer classification in a non-competitive promotion effective the first day of the pay period immediately following such academy completion. A standard 12-month Civil Service probationary period applies for all officers following placement into the Full Performance Police Officer classification.

Police Officer (Full Performance) performs fully responsible, professional, general duty police work in the protection of life and property through the enforcement of laws and ordinances. After a period of formal and on-the-job training, employees in this class are responsible for independent law enforcement duties ranging from average to considerable difficulty and performed under general supervision of a sergeant or other ranking officer. Work normally involves patrolling in an unaccompanied automobile, motorcycle, bicycle or on foot, and/or conducting detailed criminal investigations, traffic regulation, or community policing activities in a designated area on an assigned shift. Work involves a substantial element of danger and requires the responsible exercise of appropriate judgment in meeting critical emergency situations. Employees are sworn to act on behalf of the Police Department and the City of Bellingham and carry firearms in the performance of their duties.

Employees may be directed to work on, lead, or plan special projects or assignments which call upon specialized abilities and knowledge attained through experience as a uniformed officer. Work of this class may be reviewed by superior officers via personal inspection, reviews of reports and/or oral discussion.

For more information, please review the job classification for Police Officer Recruit and Full Performance Officer.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM? Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

WHY WORK FOR THE BELLINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT?

• Patrol Officers work a 1040 work schedule of five, 10.7 hour days on, four days off, five days on, four days off, five days on, five days off, repeating monthly.
• Training opportunities, the 1040 work schedule allows for one full training day a month.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

• The 2026 Recruit salary is $7,022/month. Upon entry to the Basic Law Enforcement Academy salary is $7,724/month. Upon graduation from the Basic Law Enforcement Academy the salary is $7,956. The salary range for a Full Performance Police Officer is $7,956-$10,236/month.
• Additional monthly premiums may be applied per assignment and level of education. For more information regarding salary, benefits, specialty units and premiums, view our recruitment page.

Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Police Guild (Police Officers) Collective Bargaining Unit and City policy. Additional monthly premiums may be applied per assignment and level of education. At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 7.34 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid designated holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
• 216 hours of sick leave upon hire + accruals per collective bargaining agreement
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (LEOFF) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

TESTING PROCESS: Applicants interested in this position must complete testing through Public Safety Testing. Please visit the Upcoming Tests & Events on Public Safety Testing website for information regarding the testing process. Applicants that pass the written exam and physical ability test with Public Safety Testing and scores are made available to our agency between 11/1/26 - 12/31/26 will receive an invitation to apply.

Please visit the Public Safety Testing website (https://www.publicsafetytesting.com/) to schedule. Applicants must complete the written exam and pass the physical ability test through Public Safety Testing prior to being invited to apply.

Please note, if you receive an invitation to apply, you must apply no later than 4:30 P.M., on 1/13/27 in order to be considered for this specific process. Applicants that have successfully passed the exam through PST and scores have been released to our agency between 11/1/26 - 12/31/26 will have eight (8) business days to complete the City of Bellingham application and Personal History Statement with Public Safety Testing once this posting is closed.

Closing Date/Time: Thurs. 12/31/26 4:30 PM PST

• Associate's Degree or two years (90 quarter hours/60 semester hours) of general education course work toward a degree at an accredited college or university

        OR
  

• High School Diploma or equivalent, AND

• Four years of active military service with honorable discharge (four years of military service may be substituted for two years of general education course work toward a degree at an accredited college or university)

• Bilingual proficiency highly desirable.

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check, background investigation, polygraph examination and fingerprinting. Subject to re-check every five years.

• Employment contingent upon passing a psychological and general medical evaluation.

• Employment contingent upon passing a pre-employment drug test. (This position is considered a safety sensitive position; therefore, the pre-employment drug test includes testing for cannabis. Positive test results will exclude an applicant from being hired.)

• Must pass physical fitness trainability standards of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, Basic Law Enforcement Academy.

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, Red Cross certification for Infant/Child and Adult CPR and Standard First Aid.

• Valid Washington State driver's license by time of hire and good driving record. A three-year driving abstract must be submitted prior to hire, with periodic submission of driving abstract per City policy.

• Attainment of the age of 21 years.

• Must be a U. S. citizen, deferred action for childhood arrivals recipient, or a registered permanent resident able to work in the United States. Washington State residency by time of hire.

• No record of felony convictions.

• Misdemeanor convictions will also be reviewed. A misdemeanor conviction will not necessarily disqualify an applicant but offenses, by their nature and recentness, may reveal a lack of specific qualifications for this position.

• Police Officer Recruits must successfully complete the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission Basic Law Enforcement Academy.

**You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along**

Step 1: Applicants interested in this position must complete testing through Public Safety Testing. Please visit the Public Safety Testing website (https://www.publicsafetytesting.com/) for information regarding the testing process.

Step 2: Applicants that have successfully passed the exam through PST and scores have been released to our agency between 11/1/26 - 12/31/26 will receive an email invitation to apply with our agency. Candidate scores will be pulled from Public Safety Testing weekly. Applications will be reviewed weekly and candidate status will be updated accordingly.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service register that will be used to fill anticipated vacancies. This position is represented by a union.

Applicants must complete the written exam and pass the physical ability test through Public Safety Testing prior to being invited to apply. The City of Bellingham will use the scoring criteria recommended by Public Safety Testing.

Step 3: Candidates will be invited via email on a weekly basis to complete a City of Bellingham Employment Application. (Please note: if you do not hear from us within one (1) week of testing with Public Safety Testing, please contact Human Resources at (360)778-8228; the PHS is due by the date/time you apply.)

If you wish to claim Veterans’ Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Step 4: Qualified candidates will be placed on a ranked eligibility register based on the Public Safety Testing written exam score in February 2027. Candidates will be notified of their application status regularly as incoming applications are reviewed. The top scoring 15 candidates or the top 25%, whichever is greater, will be referred to the Department for additional examinations, assessments, or tests. Additional examinations, assessments, or tests may include review of the Application Materials, Personal History Statement (PHS), and Interviews. Candidates may be removed from the eligibility register for failure to pass the additional examinations, assessments, or tests.

Please Note:

• Candidates may be removed for the reasons specified in Civil Service Rule Section 9 at any time throughout this process.
• Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently.

Equal Opportunity:

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.