Have a question? Check out the most common questions asked about working in uniformed and professional civilian positions with the Spokane Police Department.
Yes, A trial period upon initial appointment is 18 months for certified and entry-level police officers and 12 months for lateral police officers, during which the probationer’s performance will be evaluated by management.
For professional civilian positions, a trial period upon initial hire is 12 months during which the probationer’s performance will be evaluated by management.
Probationary employees may be discharged without appeal rights.
For police candidates, your Public Safety Test score will determine where you are on the hiring list. For professional civilian positions, your Civil Service exam will determine your rank on the hiring list.
Scores are ranked from highest to lowest and determine the order candidates are considered for and offered the position. For example, if you are number 3 on the list, hiring managers would need to interview and consider the 1st and 2nd candidates on the list before they could offer you the position.
When you fill out your application through governmentjobs.com you will be asked to submit DD-214 member 4 form to prove you served. After an analyst reviews the form, you may be awarded extra points on your public safety test and your place on the eligible list will be updated. Only candidates with a passing score on their PST will be considered for additional points.
Check out this flowchart for veteran’s scoring criteria.
As of June 8, 2023, the Spokane Police Department has 342 sworn officers.
Gender:
Race:
As of June 8, 2023, the Spokane Police Department has 105 full-time, professional civilian employees.
Gender:
Race:
Hiring takes anywhere from 2 – 4 months. Check out the full hiring process page for more detailed information.
Out-of-state applicants will need to come to Spokane 2-3 times during the hiring process.
No, all candidates go through the same hiring and application process.
If you are a Lateral from out-of-state, our team will need to verify that your training is acceptable to CJTC so that it transfers.
The Academy usually starts 1 week after you are hired and lasts 4 months.
Generally, you will start the academy 1 week after you are hired.
Yes, at this point you would be an employee of the department.
Often times members of the departments that are hiring attend PST events, so it is recommended that you wear professional attire for the written portion. Please wear appropriate athletic clothing for the physical test.
Openings in specialized units are advertised throughout the department. If you meet the requirements to submit your name for the unit, you may apply. There is often a process that all qualified interested candidates will get the opportunity to participate in.
Check out a list of the specialized units here.
There are no disqualifications for surgeries or injuries, but you must be able to perform the requirements of the job.
The minimum notice you may receive is two weeks, but we try to give you a month or two notice when possible.
Once you send your Public Safety Test score to the City of Spokane, the score remains in our system for one year. If you don’t like your score, you can retake the test after 365 days and resubmit. Please note, that we will use the newest score provided, not the highest score for eligibility ranking.
Spokane Police Patrol works a 10 hour and 40 min shift on one of 3 schedules:
Officers work 15 days a month and have two consecutive weekends off:
Yes! Occasionally, The City of Spokane will cover testing fees for a select number of applicants. If the fees are being waived, it will be listed on the PST website.
Applicants with marijuana/cannabis use 1 year prior to application will not be considered.
You will need to visit the Public Safety Testing site to sign up for the PAT and Public Safety Test.
While on duty or representing the department in an official capacity, tattoos or body art shall not be visible:
Officers may have one ring tattoo on each hand, below the joint of the bottom segment (portion closest to the palm) of the finger.
Captains and above will have the authority to prohibit the display of tattoos that in their judgment indicate a bias, are distasteful, or do not project the desired image of the Spokane Police Department. The decision shall be final.
The Chief of Police reserves the right to revert back to the original policy minimizing the visibility of tattoos (date of 3/16/17). If that were to occur, those employees who purchased additional tattoos or body art under this policy will be under a “grandfather” clause.
For more information on the personal appearance standards for officers, please click here.
Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for the position. Please review all minimum qualifications here before applying.
Hiring usually takes 1-3 months after Civil Service sends the list of eligible names from testing.
Recruitment works a little differently than most jobs. Just because you apply and take the Civil Service test does not mean that we are currently hiring for that position. It could mean that we need to build a list of eligible applicants first. This list is valid for 2 years and will be sent to hiring managers once a position opens.
Cannabis use prior to application is no longer disqualifying for Professional Civilian Positions (with the exception of property and evidence positions. Once hired, employees of the Spokane Police Department may
not use cannabis or any illegal drugs at any time.
