The Seattle Police Department has three types of hiring categories for officers based on experience:

Entry Level

Entry Level describes a first time law enforcement candidate, with no prior law enforcement experience. They must meet the minimum qualifications.

If you already have some law enforcement training or experience, you may qualify to be considered a Lateral Candidate or an Exceptional-Entry Candidate. These categories allow you to go through a faster training track, begin patrol sooner and in the case of a lateral hire, start at a higher pay category.

Lateral Police Candidates

Lateral police officer candidates are experienced police officers who have worked for other agencies for at least 24 of the past 36 months (at time of hire) with full police powers and duties. Laterals are hired on a continual basis, and testing is conducted in Seattle on a different schedule than Entry-Level and Exceptional Entry. Please see the qualifications and hiring process for lateral candidates.

If candidates meet the minimum standards, and they also meet the following requirements for experienced police officers, candidates may be considered as a Lateral Entry. Laterals are hired continual basis, and testing is conducted in Seattle on a different schedule than Entry-Level and Exceptional Entry.

• All of the standard criteria as described under minimum qualifications.
• Employed for at least 24 of the past 36 months (at time of hire), as a full-time Police Officer, Deputy Sheriff, Tribal Officer or State Trooper who possess full police powers and duties.
• Officers must have current/valid law enforcement or BIA academy certificate and provide proof of such upon application. Campus police officers employed by major universities may be considered for Lateral employment. Officers with less than 18 months of employment may qualify as an Exceptional-Entry candidate.
• Officers will NOT have to attend the basic law enforcement academy, However, ALL certified law enforcement officers from outside the State of Washington must take and pass the Police Officer Equivalency Examination administered by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.

Officers successfully completing this process must also attend a 2 week State Equivalency Academy. Upon successful completion of the equivalency academy, there will be a 4 week Post-BLEA (Basic Law Enforcement Academy) course where you will learn Seattle Municipal code, department policy and procedures and services specific to Seattle. Field Training for Lateral Officers is scheduled for 8 weeks.
Lateral applicants will be paid at a rate comparable with like years of service within their current agency as a POLICE OFFICER, up to Step 6 on the
SPD pay scale.

NOTE: Federal law enforcement officers/agents, corrections officers, jailers, game wardens, military police officers, special or reserve officers/deputies, or any other such positions which fall outside the above guidelines do NOT qualify for Lateral positions.

Exceptional-Entry Police Candidates

Exceptional Entry Candidates are Sworn or civilian applicants who currently possess a recent and valid police academy training certificate, but they have worked for a Police Agency full time for less than 24 months in the last 36 months. If they qualify for Exceptional Entry, they may be able to forgo attending the Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy. Individuals are evaluated on a case by cases basis and must meet the following criteria to be considered as exceptional-entry candidates.

If candidates meet the above general standards, and they currently possess a recent and valid police academy training certificate, they may qualify as an Exceptional Entry candidates. Individuals are evaluated on a case by cases basis and must meet the following criteria to be considered as exceptional-entry candidates.

• Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for police officer.
• Applicants must be certified by attending the Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) or an equivalent academy to the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) training academy, which is 720 hours long. (Basic training does not mean military or police reserve training or any other federal program not approved by the WSCJTC.)
• Applicants have worked for a Police Agency full time for less than 24 months within the last 36 months.
• Applicants must take and pass the City of Seattle entry-level test for police officers.
• Applicants must provide copies of current/valid academy certification, and training records or proof of the following: firearms qualification, a current basic first aid card, and 40 hours of driver's training.
• Recruits must pass the Seattle Police Department's Advanced Training Academy and Field Training Program designated for exceptional entry candidates.
• All officers from outside the State of Washington must take and pass the basic equivalency test to forgo attending the Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy.

Exceptional-Entry applicants who complete this process will be hired as
Step 1 Police Officers.

Please Note: The Department retains the right to send an Exceptional Entry candidate to the CJTC Police Academy if it is determined during the hiring process that a candidates existing training is not comparable.

Prior Military

Prior military or military police training DOES NOT count as prior law enforcement training, and you will be considered an Entry-Level candidate. However, please note that the Seattle Police Department is an approved agency for G.I. Bill Benefits.