Law Enforcement Officer Position

Kent Police Department - Lateral Police Officer

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PROFILE DISCLAIMER

The information herein is provided by the respective agency and is only as accurate and as up-to-date as the agency representative(s) update this information. PST is not responsible for the veracity of this data as it is provided directly from the agency. It is ultimately the applicant's responsibility to verify any information about the agency with the agency.

Kent Police Department - Lateral Police Officer

Last updated on November 08, 2024
PST Partner Agency since October 19, 2011

Vacancies: 5

Important Information

WE HAVE A TAKE HOME VEHICLE PROGRAM, A RETIREMENT MEDICAL PROGRAM, AND A $25,000 HIRING INCENTIVE FOR IN-STATE LATERALS AND $10,000 FOR OUT OF STATE LATERALS! BOTH SICK LEAVE AND VACATION MAY BE FRONT-LOADED WITH 200 HOURS EACH, DEPENDENT ON LEAVE BANKS AT THE AGENCY YOU ARE LATERALLING FROM.

Note: You do not apply via PST for our Lateral Police Position.

Apply online at KentPoliceRecruiting.com/laterals. Our hiring process is fast and efficient. Your training and experience from your previous agencies are factored into promotions and specialty units. Contact Recruiting Officer Brian Cortinas for additional details at (253) 856-5840 or email our Recruiting team at PoliceRecruiting@Kentwa.gov. Check us out on Instagram @OURFUTURECOPS or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kentpolicerecruiting/ or visit our website.

Community Information

The City of Kent was incorporated in 1889 and has steadily grown from an area of agriculture and farming into a city of production and manufacturing. The City has 3 main areas: the West Hill is a combination of residential and commercial services; the Valley which is a mixture of residential, warehousing, manufacturing, and commercial services, and the East Hill, which is primarily residential with commercial services. Our static population is approximately 125,000 but grows to approximately 400,000 during the day. We are currently the 6th largest city in the state of Washington.

Department Information

The Kent Police Department is a full service municipal department, consisting of three divisions; Patrol, Support Services/Investigations, and Corrections. We offer a wide variety of law enforcement assignments within the Patrol division including K9, bicycle patrol and marine services, field training, riot team, SWAT and hostage negotiations, and traffic enforcement positions. Support Services/Investigations include detectives, crime prevention/community education, crime scene investigators, evidence and records units, a staffed training center and indoor firearms range, additional civilian positions and the City of Kent Corrections Facility (city jail). Initial assignment will be to the Patrol division where patrol officers work a 10 hour shift, 4 day on, 3 day off week, with days off rotating every 6 weeks. Officers bid for shifts on a semi-annual basis. Benefits include education reimbursement, longevity compensation, excellent medical, dental and vision benefits and the best available training and equipment. Salary enhancements for professional physical fitness and specialty assignments are available. Kent Police Department is state accredited with WASPC. There are 217 employees, 165 commissioned positions and 52 civilian positions.

Area Information

County: Washington
Population: 125,000
# of Staff:

Hiring Status

Kent Police Department - Lateral Police Officer has 5 vacancies.

The eligibility list is on a continuous basis and maintained as scores are received from PST with subsequent testing conducted on an as-needed basis. Vacancies are filled by Civil Service "rule of seven" with the top seven candidates forwarded to the appointing authority for background investigation & selection as vacancies occur.


Number of Current Vacancies: 4 (January 2023)

Salary Information

Salary ranges from $92,112 progressing to $118,843 per year DOE (as of January 2020). Salary can be enhanced by education level, physical fitness incentive, assignments, longevity, and foreign language fluency.

Benefit Information

WE HAVE A TAKE HOME VEHICLE PROGRAM AS WELL AS A RETIREMENT MEDICAL PROGRAM! LEOFF 2 retirement, deferred compensation program, 4 medical plan options to choose from. 150 hours of sick leave earned annually, 96 hours of vacation earned annually and increasing based on longevity. Employees accrue 12 holidays, 4 of which are bought back by the city at the end of the year. The department provides all equipment and training.

Kent Police Department - Lateral Police Officer Requirements

Category Requirement Required at time of...
    Test Hire
Written Examination No, not required

Lateral police officers candidates do not test though Public Safety Testing.  Interested laterals or experienced police officers apply directly to the City of Kent here: https://www.kentpolicerecruiting.com/jobs
LEO/CO Physical Ability Test (PAT) No, not required (may be required later)

The Physical Ability Test is not required for Lateral Police Officer candidates. Interested laterals or experienced police officers apply directly to the City of Kent here: https://www.kentpolicerecruiting.com/jobs
PST Personal History Statement

We do not require a PHS through PST, however we request the ability to access PHS through PST for a period of 7 months. This is due to the fact that we often compare our PHQ with the PST’s PHS for discrepancies. The reason we ask for 7 months is because candidates can remain on our eligibility list for up to 6 months before their scores expire, and sometimes it can take a month before they land on our eligibility list.
Minimum Age 18
Citizenship US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident
High School Grad/ GED Yes
Driver's License Required Yes
Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult
Felony Conviction(s) as a Juvenile
Ability to Read, Speak & Write the English Language Yes
Vision Requirements Correctable to 20/20
Prior Experience Requirement Yes.  We follow the reciprocity summary outlined by the WA ST CJTC for eligibility. 
Veterans Preference Points Yes
Current Hiring Status 11 openings

Kent Police Department - Lateral Police Officer Disqualifiers

The following are automatic and potential disqualifiers. Applicants should not apply to our agency if they indicate any of the automatic disqualifiers. Potential disqualifiers will be considered on a case by case basis.

Category Disqualifier
Driving
Automatic

Currently prohibited from driving a vehicle by virtue of a suspended or revoked driver’s license in Washington or any other state.  
Drug Usage
Automatic

Possessed any of the following in the last year other than within the scope of your employment: (a) Anabolic steroids without a prescription; (b) Club drugs, including Ketamine, GHB, MDMA, Ecstasy; or (c) Aerosols for the purpose of inhaling including paint (for huffing), nitrous oxide (for whippits), or KHAT.
Automatic

Possessed any of the following in the last three years other than within the scope of your employment: (a) Methamphetamine; (b) Cocaine in any form; (c) Heroin; or (d) Hallucinogenic drugs, including LSD, PCP, psilocybin mushrooms, peyote.
Automatic

Ever used illegal drugs while employed by a law enforcement agency. Participation in the delivery or sale of illegal drugs within the past 10 years outside of your official duties with a law enforcement agency.
Criminal Activity
Automatic

Any felony conviction in Washington or in any other state.
Automatic

Any conviction for a federal criminal offense.
Automatic

Any conviction of a crime under a domestic violence statute.
Automatic

Any conviction for a misdemeanor crime involving moral turpitude, including crimes involving theft, fraud, dishonesty, or cheating of any sort.
Automatic

Any conviction for a misdemeanor crime involving the use of violence.
Automatic

Any prohibition, by any law, from possessing a firearm.
Automatic

Ever used the internet as an adult (18 years of age or older) to intentionally search for and access images or videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct outside of an official duty as a law enforcement officer or in the course of prosecuting or representing a person charged with such offense.
Potential

Adult misdemeanor convictions will be carefully reviewed.
Employment
Automatic

Ever had a certification as a law enforcement officer revoked or denied by any government agency.
Automatic

Ever been found, by an employing law enforcement agency, to have committed an act of dishonesty.
Automatic

Ever made any material false statement or engaged in fraud or dishonesty of any sort during any application process for any employment, or has an employer or prospective employer determined that you made any material false statement or engaged in fraud or dishonesty of any sort during any application process for any employment.
Automatic

Ever been fired, terminated, or resigned in lieu of termination from a position with a city, county, state or federal law enforcement agency.
Automatic

Ever received a dishonorable discharge from any branch of the military.
Potential FTO, PTO and probationary failures and resignations in lieu of termination for these reasons will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Financial
Potential

Current credit accounts or unresolved accounts in collection will be carefully reviewed.
Other
Automatic

Any association or affiliation with any criminal enterprise, hate group, street gang, or any other group that advocates violence or discrimination against individuals because of their race, religion, political affiliation, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, sexual preference, or disability within last 5 years.
Potential

Any tattoo signifying any prior membership in, association or affiliation with, any criminal enterprise, hate group, street gang, or other group that advocates violence or discrimination against individuals because of their race, religion, political affiliation, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, sexual preference, or disability.
Potential

Any prior association or affiliation with any criminal enterprise, hate group, street gang, or any other group that advocates violence or discrimination against individuals because of their race, religion, political affiliation, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, sexual preference, or disability.

Contact Information

Kent Police Department - Lateral Police Officer

220 4th Avenue S
Kent, WA 98032 Washington County
253-856-5800

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Other Kent Police Department positions

Police Officer
Jail/Corrections