Police Officer Recruit (Jul-Aug)

About the role

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

Responsibilities

• Attends a 720 hour Basic Law Enforcement Academy, which will provide classroom and field instruction in basic police procedures, techniques and laws.
• Participates in on-the-job training under the direct supervision of an experienced training officer.
• Observes and assists experienced officers responding to calls and requests for police assistance.
• May assist in conducting investigations and participate in legal search and surveillance activities.
• Participates in range training as assigned.
• Attends meetings and prepares reports as assigned.

Requirements

• 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, ANDFour 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.

Qualifications

• Necessary Special Requirements: Passing a criminal convictions check, background investigation, polygraph examination and fingerprinting. Subject to re-check every five years.
• Psychological and general medical evaluation.
• 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).
• 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.
• Age of 21 years.
• 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.

Skills

N/A

Benefits

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

Pay

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.

Schedule

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.

Application Instructions

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. Applicants that have successfully passed the exam through PST and scores have been released to our agency between 7/1/26 - 8/31/26 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.