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Review these hiring process steps to know what to expect as you work your way to becoming a Police Officer for The City of Spokane.
Meet the Minimum Qualifications
Please review the qualification requirements before applying. Failure to meet qualifications will result in an automatic application denial.
Public Safety Written Test
Sign up to take the Public Safety Written test at publicsafetytesting.com. Make sure you select Spokane Police Department as a location to send your results to. Test scores must be less than 15 months old by the time of your application with the City of Spokane. The standard cost is $55.
Public Safety Physical Test
You can also sign up for the physical test through the Public Safety Testing website. The PAT will consist of push-ups, sit-ups, and squat thrusts. For more details and how to prepare for this test, visit The Public Safety Website.
Personal History Statement
You must also fill out a Personal History Statement via the Public Safety Testing website. The Personal History Statement (PHS) is designed to assist public safety agencies in the background investigations of candidates. It is very important that your PHS is filled out completely and truthfully. Many candidates are disqualified for untruthfulness, inaccuracies, or omissions in their PHS. Fill out your PHS after you’ve passed the written test here.
Apply with the City
AFTER you have passed the written and physical tests and filled out your PHS through Public Safety Testing, apply for the position with The City of Spokane. Applicants can apply with the City of Spokane every 365 days. Click here to apply.
Lateral & Certified Applicants!
Do not go through Public Safety Testing for any part of the hiring process. Please visit the job listing
on my.spokanecity.org/jobs/ and apply directly with the City. After you apply, a member of our Civil Service team will send you a Personal History Statement and Training & Experience evaluation to fill out.
You will receive an email with your eligible list rank based on your test score. Your rank determines when you will get an interview and is active for up to 1 year. When Spokane PD is hiring, Civil Service will send the eligible list to hiring managers based on the number of positions open.
Submit Personal Documents & Fingerprints
Hiring managers will review your application information to confirm you are qualified for the job. If you are, they will send you an initial email requesting copies of personal documents (license, ss card, birth certificate, or passport). They will also send you a fingerprint form.
Initial Phone Interview
Once those documents are received, a recruiter will reach out to you for an initial phone interview.
Pre-Oral Board Interview
Pre-oral board interview is held virtually with the Spokane PD’s hiring board. Here, they will have the opportunity to ask additional questions in order to determine if the candidate will move on to the in-person interview.
This is an interview in front of a panel of 4 people. Please bring a copy of your resume and dress appropriately.
Pre-Polygraph Interview
All applicants are assigned a background investigator who conducts the interview. During the interview, the investigator reviews the candidate’s Personal History Statement in-depth. They also collect additional information pertinent to hiring the highest-quality applicants.
Ride-Along
The applicant is then scheduled to participate in a ride-along which allows them to get an inside look at the work of a Spokane Police Officer. Ride-alongs are normally between 4 and 10 hours.
The Polygraph Interview is conducted to ensure that the applicant has been truthful and forthcoming with all information provided thus far. Polygraphs are often 2-3 hours in length. Be honest and forthcoming throughout the process and you’ll breeze right through.
Medical Interview
Applicants are required to be examined by a contracted physician for a physical exam. The exam consists of a 50 lb lift test from floor to chest, ECG, blood work, chest X-ray, vision test, and a hearing test.
Psychological Interviews
Applicants are required to see the department’s contracted police psychologist, who conducts several standard tests to determine if an applicant is psychologically fit to become a police officer.
This part of the process is not a formality. The Chief reviews all information provided in the background investigation process and interviews all candidates to ensure that they are the best fit with the department’s mission, vision, and values. At the conclusion of the interview, candidates will know whether they will be approved to be hired.
